


Kashmir

by BlackWidowLiz



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-21
Updated: 2017-06-17
Packaged: 2018-09-10 20:31:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 36,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8938084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackWidowLiz/pseuds/BlackWidowLiz
Summary: This story diverges from cannon at 9.23, “Do You Believe in Miracles?”. Instead of going with Crowley, Dean strikes off on his own after awakening as a demon. In his desperation to save his brother, Sam enlists an old family of hunters to track him down and bring him back. As the brothers continue to cross paths with this family of hunters, changes occur in all of their lives that none of them could foresee.





	1. Ace of Spades

**Author's Note:**

> The parings for this story will be Dean/OC, with some Sam/OC in later chapters, and will be mostly from my OC’s point of view. Also, because I’m lazy, we are just going to assume that in curing Dean of his demonism, Sam also found a way to cure him from The Mark of Cain. Sorry, but it’s just easier. Chapter titles are named after the songs where I drew my inspiration. Eventually, there will be some smut because… well WINCHESTERS. I don’t own anything except my OCs.
> 
> I originally posted this to ffn, but considering the sites policies, I wanted to post it here as well... just in case.

1: Ace of Spades - Motorhead

It was always a tragedy that brought someone into the life. Every case she had come across, there were monsters, demons, and death. But not her. Her family had been in the life as far back as anyone could trace. She was brought up in it. Thrived on it. 

They could only be described as old Southern money. Home base was the family compound, set back on over 400 acres of Mississippi Delta mud. The house was monstrous with so many rooms you could get lost. It was here where she would be educated in the ways of a hunter. She was homeschooled, along with the rest of her clan. Traditional lessons in the mornings and Hunting 101 in the afternoons. This was her life until her 18th birthday when she was formally inducted into the family business. The family insignia tattooed on her inner right bicep would protect and mark her for life. 

That was ten years ago. Now, at 28, she was a well-oiled machine; inconspicuous and deadly. At five foot ten, she kept in shape to do her job. She wasn’t overly muscular, preferring to keep her curves in all the right places. Long ash blonde hair hung to her waist in loose waves. She was too much of a tomboy to make a fuss over hairstyles, makeup, or clothes. The easier the better was her motto.

She hunted alone. It was their tradition. No ties or distractions, just the job. It was one such job that sent her life on a crash course with the man who would change her irrevocably.

She received her orders from her grandfather, a walking encyclopedia of monster lore and the patriarch of the family. This was not her typical job. She was an exterminator; always sent in for the kill, never to simply observe. 

She knew of her target. Her family kept an eye on the brothers, but never interfered. Her task was simple: find the eldest Winchester and assess the situation. They were aware he bore the mark, and of what he had become since battling Metatron. She was to make contact and attempt to return him to his younger brother to be ‘cured’. Whatever that meat. Simple.

It was well after one in the morning by the time she pulled her Mercedes SUV in the parking lot of the dilapidated motel with the vacancy sign flashing. Sure, she came from money, but she preferred ordinary lodgings that drew no additional attention. After checking in, she prepared to settle in for the night to brace for her mission. Popping the hatch on her SUV, she unloaded her luggage. Lifting the false bottom from the trunk, she removed the hidden duffel she needed to guard her room for her stay. After going through her nightly ritual, she surrendered to sleep.

She awoke to sunlight streaming through the break in the motel curtains. As she munched on her breakfast bar, she opened her laptop to study the files her grandfather had sent. Everything they knew about the eldest brother was there. She couldn't help but stop short as his photo scrolled across her screen. He was attractive, but she couldn’t afford to let herself get distracted. As she read through his file, she mentally prepared herself for how to approach her mission.

It was late. Later than she would have liked to be preparing for an assignment, but her intel placed her target at a local bar. She honestly couldn’t say she was surprised after researching him. She prided herself on knowing her marks inside and out, and she would treat him no differently. 

Her first priority was to keep her identity as ambiguous as possible. Just keep it simple. Her ashen hair hung limply around her shoulders, and her head was covered by a light blue beanie. She donned an old cut-off Motorhead shirt under an open flannel button-up with her dark skinny jeans and combat boots on her feet. She made sure the rosary around her neck, a gift from her mother that never left her skin, was covered. She was ready.

She made her mark as soon as she walked in to the nearly empty bar. He sat alone at a pub table, next to the bar, sipping a glass of whiskey with the half empty bottle sitting close by. She ignored him. That is what thrilled her most about the hunt, letting her prey believe themselves the predator. It wasn’t long after she ordered her beer that she sensed him approach. She turned to inspect her company and regarded him with a small, tight-lipped smile. The picture she had been given did not do him justice. If she had ever seen a man she would describe as beautiful, it was him.

He was wearing a light gray tee underneath an unbuttoned black shirt, the sleeves rolled to his elbows. His jeans were faded and pooled over worn work boots.

“I would offer to buy you a drink, but I see you beat me to it”

She smiled to herself, but extended her hand anyway. She knew his game.

“Kat. If you hang around, I just might let you get the second round.”

He took her small hand in his larger one. His smug grin gave away his assumed victory as he shook her hand and took a seat next to her.

“Well Kat, I’m Dean. I don’t have anything better to do, so I may as well take you up on that.”

The night passed quickly. He seemed genuine enough. If she didn’t know better, she would have mistaken him for your average Joe, drinking alone after a rough day. The hair on the back of her neck standing on end kept her in check. She could tell from his demeanor that he presumed she was a done deal. She laughed internally at the thought. She could only image how many innocent girls had fallen prey to his charms.

Several rounds later, she felt as though she had enough information. Phase one was a success. Phase two would be figuring out how to get this wolf in sheep’s clothing back to his brother. She planned to casually leave the bar, send her check-in text, and give her full report in the morning. As she finished her beer, she stood and laid her cash on the bar.

“Leaving already? We were just starting to have fun.”

Obviously, this turn of events was not what he had in mind. She gave him the same guarded smile she had been giving him all night.

“Gotta hit the road early in the morning. My family is expecting me home”

Keep it simple. She thanked him for keeping her company as she exited the bar, but he was hot on her heels, not ready to admit defeat just yet. She unlocked her car and opened the door just as he caught her wrist. She turned on her heels, resisting her years of training insisting that she respond to the threat. As she turned, she realized that he was much larger than she had originally thought. While she was tall, he had several inches on her. Her hazel eyes met the column of his throat, then up to emerald-green. He gave her a small smile and held out her phone.

“Left this at the bar. I took the liberty of adding my number. Just in case.”

The wink he added ran a chill down her spine, but she laughed despite herself. This man was trying hard. She knew she had never taken her phone out of the small bag she brought with her, but she wondered how he had gotten it without her noticing.

“Thanks. I swear I would lose my head…but adding your number will do you no good. A gentleman always makes the first call.”

His expression once again gave away his intentions as he pulled a phone from his pocket and placed it in her hand. This was unexpected, but she took his phone and added her primary number. She was curious as to what he would do next. The victorious grin that spread across his face told her all she needed to know. As she once again said goodbye, he let her go without protest. This had gone much smoother than she assumed it would.

Once she was safely back in her motel room, she sent the standard text to check-in and prepared for bed. She was climbing between the sheets when she heard a knock on her door. Call it a gut feeling, but she knew it was him. She gave a small laugh, grabbed her cell, and proceeded to open the door. He resembled a normal guy, the way he was leaning in her door way, but she knew better than to let her guard down.

“Dean… Hi. What can I do for you?”

He smiled the same smile that made her heart race and skin crawl all at the same time. 

“Honestly, I was surprised to see your car once I got back to my room. I didn’t picture you staying somewhere like this and wanted to make sure you got back alright.”

Suddenly, she had an idea. She had never been one to break from a mission, but this was different. He made it so easy. She already had the devils trap painted on the ceiling, just a few step inside the door. All she had to do would be to get him to his brother. Her mind was made up, deciding that it was better to ask forgiveness than permission.

“Yea, fine. Thank you. Look, uh… do you want to come in and have a drink?”

His smile never left his face, thinking that she finally decided to give in to him. When he had first noticed her at the bar, he couldn’t help himself. The old Dean pushed his way to the surface, approaching the tall blonde. After talking for a few hours, he realized she was more than a pretty face to sate the darker desires that lurked inside his demon self. She was the kind of girl the old Dean would have been impressed by. Smart, funny, and best of all… educated in classic rock. An unseen force pulled him from his thoughts as he crossed the threshold and took another few steps into her room.  
   
To say he was pissed would be an understatement. The moment he discovered he was stuck in a devil’s trap, a vicious snarl ripped itself from his throat. His eyes flashed from emerald to black. She was a little surprised by his reaction, but she held her ground. Black as the ace of spades. At that moment, she had to suppress the snicker that threaten to come out. How ironic to have that song stuck in my head… ‘The pleasure is to play, makes no difference what you say…’

“Hunter! You’re a hunter? Do you know what I am… who I am?”

“I know exactly who and what you are Dean Winchester. Now, excuse me for a moment, I have to make a call.”

She stepped around the trap and out the front door of the hotel room before Dean could protest. On the second ring, a voice came through the line. After the voice confirmed his identity, she jumped straight to the point.

“I have your brother, Dean. I believe it would be in everyone’s best interest if I returned him to you immediately.”

After a short pause, she could hear the anger and veiled concern in his voice.

“Is he alright? What did you do?”

She rolled her eyes despite herself. She quickly filled Sam in on her mission and the events of the evening. In the end, the younger brother sounded almost relieved as she gave him the coordinates for the tiny motel in the middle of no where. After promising to be there before noon the next day, she ended the call to return to her room.

Upon her return, she was mildly surprised to find Dean casually lounging on the floor with his arms cradled behind his head, one leg bent at the knee with the other draped across, and eyes closed. She knew better than to think he was asleep, but she ignored him anyway. She was just sliding back between the sheets and reaching to turn out the small lamp when his voice broke the silence.

“So, you’re just going to leave me here?”

At that, she laughed out. Does he actually think I’m going to let him in my bed? She was truly baffled as she made her way down the length of the bed, on her knees, to peer over the edge at him. Irritation was all she could discern from his eyes, and she laughed again.

“Really, Dean? What? You think I’m just going to let you out of your trap to crawl in bed with me? I might be blonde, but I’m not stupid. You’ll kill me and take off the moment I let you out.”

She had him there, and the look on his face said it all. She was right, and they both knew it. Seeming to resign to his fate, he closed his eyes again with a frustrated sigh. She turned back towards the head of the bed, but in a moment of pity for the human she could see just beneath the surface, she partially caved. Grabbing a pillow, she made her way back towards him. 

“Here.”

She tossed the pillow towards him before he had time to fully open his eyes. With a noncommittal grunt, he took the pillow and closed his eyes once more. She shrugged at his silence, but was partially grateful that the nights events hadn’t gone any worse. With that final thought, she killed the lights and tried her best to sleep with the trapped hunter turned demon at her feet.

For the second morning in a row, light streamed through the crack in the curtain as she became aware of her surroundings. She sat up quickly at the feeling of eyes on her. There he was, still trapped, standing at the foot of her bed. Again, choosing to ignore him, she got up to prepare for the meeting with the younger brother.

After checking her phone for the time, she climbed from bed to get dressed. Dean watched her intently. She could feel his eyes on her, but she never acknowledged him. She pulled a bandeau from her bag and, with her back to the demon, pulled it over her legging-clad legs and in place under the cutoff t-shirt she had worn the previous night. Stepping to the sink, she brushed her teeth and pulled her messy hair into a loose braid at the nape of her neck. She secured her beanie to her head and her boots to her feet before grabbing her flannel to cover her bare shoulders. Once again, she carefully stepped around the trap containing the brooding demon. The silence was deafening and the look in his eyes was set to kill. She felt her hair standing on end again as she made her way for the door. Just as she turned the knob to a few precious moments of freedom, his voice snapped her back to herself.

“Leaving me again?”

He huffed and sat impatiently on the floor with eyes closed. He reminded her of a spoiled child, pouting because he didn’t get his way. She continued to ignore him as she shut the door behind her, grateful to have made her way out of the room without further incident. Taking a step into the warm sunlight, she took a deep breath. Relax. Only two short hours until the younger brother shows up to get him. On autopilot, she opened the door of her Mercedes and snatched a pack of menthols and a lighter from the door pocket. Lighting the cigarette, she inhaled deeply for a moment. Moving again, she reached into the backseat to grab one of her granola bars for breakfast. She sat on the curb in silence. Smoking and trying to remember why she had thought this was a good idea to begin with.

Thirty minutes later found her opening the door to her room, with Dean in the same pouty position he was when she left. The only acknowledgment she received was his head turning away from her. She rolled her eyes and positioned herself at the end of her bed with her laptop. She had to send in her mission report and catch up on some emails before Sam arrived. She glanced at the clock, and with what felt like the millionth sigh, she realized that she only had a little less than an hour, if the younger one was punctual, to suffer alone with the demon.

She couldn’t work like this. He still sat defiantly on the floor, refusing to look in her direction. Her head was starting to ache from the silence. 

The loud pounding on the door burst their awkward bubble. She leapt to answer it, and as the door slung open, she was face to face with a broad chest. She had to crane her neck to make eye contact. Before either of them could greet the other, Dean spoke up.

“Little brother, so nice that you’re here to rescue me.”

The pair standing in the doorway both ignored him as she pressed the newcomer out of the room and closed the door behind them. After introductions were out-of-the-way, they quickly devised a plan to subdue the demon version of his brother and safely transport him back to the bunker. She decided it would be best to let the younger Winchester take control of the situation.

As he entered the room to subdue Dean with a bullet etched with a devils trap, she set about getting her car ready to leave. She couldn't help but cringe when she heard the gun fire once, followed by pained yelp, from inside the room. She rushed in to grab her packed bags as Sam carried Dean, in cuffs, from the room and placed him in the trunk of the Impala. The look exchanged between the huntress and the little brother spoke volumes.

Good luck saving him.

Thank you for catching him.

 

 As she pulled away from the motel, she could hear the faint sound of sirens in the distance. She had made sure there was no evidence of herself or either Winchester left behind. She sent up a quiet prayer for the two brothers as she put more pavement between them. She knew this would be the last time she saw them.


	2. Beast Within

2: Beast Within - In This Moment

Eight months had passed since she had seen the Winchesters. She caught herself wondering about them from time to time, but never dared express her interests to her family. Only there to observe. Don’t interfere… yada, yada, yada. Whatever.

Now, here she was, working a job in the heart of New Orleans, Louisiana. A Rougaroux hunt to be exact. With the rise in gang-related murders, the particular viciousness of the attacks had gone unnoticed to all, even the authorities. 

The hunt had gone well enough. She had found the Rougaroux holed up in an abandoned house in the lower ninth ward. The kill was quick, just how she liked it. Get in, exterminate, and get out.

This was one of the things she didn't understand about other hunters that didn’t have the connections like her family. For others, there was research, interviews, fake id’s… the list went on. But for her, there were no complications, just intel from her family. She was simply sent in for the kill. She supposed that the leg work probably made the hunt more rewarding, but she wouldn’t over think it. Just do your job.

She didn't have another assignment lined up, so she decided a little down time was just what she needed to get her head back in the game. After dropping off her SUV and quickly changing clothes at her hotel on Canal, she was heading back deeper into the Quarter to one of her favorite bars. It was a hole in the wall on a small side street off Bourbon. It was never very crowded, served decent local beer and played metal. Just what she needed to let off some steam.

She turned down the narrow alley to make her way to the hidden entrance. After flashing her I.D. at the doorman, she made her way to the bar and ordered a beer. Dead Guy, her favorite. The room was bathed in a red light. Heavy metal pulsed throughout, sending a vibration through her veins. There was something about this darkness that spoke to her. Maybe it was the life of a hunter, or possibly her alienation from the outside world. She didn’t care which. All she knew was that she was comfortable in this atmosphere, and that didn’t bother her one bit.

As the night drug on, she made small talk with her bartender and drank her beers alone. She heard the heavy wooden door just behind her open and close, but she never looked up. She turned to her left to reach into her small bag to pull out her cigarettes when a familiar voice caught her attention.

“Whiskey, double. Neat”

“Beer”

She paused a moment, hand pulling her pack from her bag. Still with her back turned, she placed a cigarette between her lips and lit it, steeling herself before turning around back to her beer. She chose to ignore them. Hell, what would she even say. Hey guys! How’s the whole demon thing going? Slaughtered any innocents lately? Yea, that will go over like a ton of bricks. Her train of thought came to a screeching halt when that familiar voice addressed her.

“Kat?” 

She couldn’t help the way her head snatched to the right at his voice. It was the same, but somehow different. When she had originally met the demonic version, he was cocky and loud. So sure of himself. Now, this voice was quiet, almost apologetic.

She let a small smile grace her lips as she faced the brothers. She was actually happy to see them. 

“Hi Dean… Sam. What brings you boys all the way down here?”

Dean froze. He didn’t know what to say. Hell, he didn’t even mean to say her name out loud. The shock of seeing her, sitting casually at a bar alone, sent his head spinning. He remembered everything about their first encounter. Even the baser thoughts his demon self had about her. And, for once, he found himself agreeing with the monster. She looked just like he remembered. Long ash blonde hair hanging, unkempt, around her shoulders. The warm, humid climate of the deep south obviously forced her into less clothing. She wore a light gray tank-top and skinny jeans that hugged her legs tightly as they swung from her barstool. On her feet, a simple pair of gray Converse.

The way his emerald eyes stared her down, she knew he was keeping himself from saying something. Sam answered first, and her disappointment surprised her.

“Well, we were tracking a Rougaroux, but when we finally found him, he had already been taken care of. I’m guessing this was you?”

She laughed lightly, nodding in confirmation, and tipped the neck of her beer in their direction, motioning for them to take a seat next to her. She sat her beer on the bar and flicked her cigarette before speaking.

“Sorry boys. I guess the score is one to zip in my favor.”

Sam laughed and took the seat to her left. Dean, still silent, took the seat to her right. The punishing beat of the music relaxed her, and the alcohol in her veins gave her the courage she need to ask her next question.

“So, last time I saw you two, things were… complicated. How are you?”

The question was posed more to Dean than Sam. At this, Dean gave her a slight smile, that didn’t quite reach his eyes, and nodded his head.

“No more black eyes if thats what you're askin’.”

She beamed at the brothers and clapped both of them on the shoulder.

“Well this is a cause for celebration! Drinks on me tonight boys.”

She flagged down the bartender and had him line a series of questionable shots for the three of them. After passing their glasses to them, she looked at the boys expectantly.

“To what semblance of normalcy we can have in this life.”

The brothers nodded and the three of them downed the burning liquid.

Before she knew it, it was almost midnight. Sam was beyond inebriated, while she and Dean held their own. Sam stood, swaying a little, and regarded the other two hunters with a sloppy grin.

“Gonna go find my way to my bed. You stayin’ a while Dean?”

When Dean nodded in confirmation, she released a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. For them, the night was still young. As Sam said his goodbyes, promising his brother he would get a cab, she stood and hugged the taller brother tightly. 

“Call me if you need anything Sam.”

He nodded and headed out the door. She sat back down next to the remaining Winchester and took the last sip of her beer. After ordering another, she regarded Dean. While he had gradually become more talkative as time passed, her spidey-senses were telling her that there was something he wanted to get off his chest. While the alcohol had helped him loosen up a little, she wanted him to relax and spill what was bothering him.

As the opening chords and haunting vocals of a familiar song filled her ears, she had one of her brilliant ideas and stood suddenly. Dean eyed her suspiciously when she grabbed her beer and his hand, pulling him off his stool and towards the back of the bar. He couldn’t figure out where exactly they were heading. All that was ahead of them was a wall-length bookcase. Oh. They rounded the corner at the end of the case to climb a hidden flight of stairs, closer to the pounding music.

Endorphins start to swell now  
As I step up to my throne  
I feel the monster caged inside of me   
Screaming through my bones  
I wanna see you start to sweat now  
I wanna see you lose your minds  
I wanna feel you all from deep within  
Swayin’ back and forth all night

It was taking his mind a moment to catch up to the new surroundings. She had brought him to a nearly deserted upper floor where the music was the most concentrated. Dim red lights cast shadows around the small space. She took his drink from his hand and placed it, along with her beer, on a table. As she turned back to him, she reached out her hand. He took it without thinking, taking an involuntary step toward her. She pulled him to the small dance floor and wrapped her arms around his neck. As the song continued to pulse from the speakers, they danced. Her arms that were originally wrapped around his neck had slipped down, her fingers lightly gripping his biceps. His hands on her hips held her in place, close to his chest.

I’ll tear you apart  
I’ll feed off your heart  
I wanna see your bodies grinding just for me  
I’m just what you need, the perfect disease  
Don’t you wanna turn the beauty into the beast?

As the music faded out to the next song, she pulled away from his grasp and returned to the table where they had left there drinks. He followed her numbly, processing the moment that had passed between them. It wasn’t much, but it was something. He sat next to her at the small table, sipping his drink. She smiled at him, leaning towards him on her elbows so that he could hear her over the music.

“Quite the dancer, Mr. Winchester. I must say I’m a little surprised.”

And just like that, she watched a little of his wall crumble. This smile reached his eyes and he let out a small laugh at her antics.

“Full of surprises, if you know what to look for.”

There was that wink again. Unlike their first encounter, this wink didn’t send a chill down her spine. This wink was fun, and full of promise. He was finally starting to loosen up, and that was a good sign.

“Look. How about we head somewhere more quiet where we can actually have a conversation.”

He was a caught off guard, but nodded in consent. Usually he was the one giving the ‘lets get out of here’ speech. 

They made their way back downstairs where she closed their tab. A moments later, they were back in the almost suffocating humidity that hung in the air. While the party was just getting started on Bourbon, she lead them deeper into the Quarter to a small pub that she knew was ideal for conversations. They passed through the front gates and walked deeper into the courtyard, finding a seat away from the few other patrons. Drinks were ordered and a heavy silence fell over them. Once the waiter brought their drinks, both took a sip, trying desperately to think of something to say to the other. Kat was the first to speak up.

“Ok… so obviously you remember the last time, when we met, but I’m curious. Do you remember everything from turning?”

He was taken by surprise once again, but he heaved a heavy sigh and nodded.

“I… Yea. I remember everythin’. I mean, it was me. Granted it was a twisted version of me, but it was me.”

She nodded, taking in all that his statement left unsaid. She took another sip of her beer as she tried to think of a way to keep the awkwardness out of the conversation.

“I’m sorry.”

She barely heard him. Her eyes searched him to make sure he had even spoken, but he wouldn’t look at her directly. 

“For what?”

That got his attention. His eyes snapped toward her and fixed themselves on hers. They stayed that way for a moment. Neither one backing down from the unspoken challenge. After a moment, he took another sip of his drink and continued.

“I dunno really. I guess for that being how we first met. Black eyes aren’t usually how I like to meet someone.”

She laughed lightly at his attempt at humor. Apparently that was the way things were with these Winchester boys. Bury your feelings and mask your man pain with alcohol and dry humor. She could understand that. Feelings sometimes only served to get in the way and complicate things. Furthermore, she supposed that she really had no business prying into his most personal thoughts, seeing as how this was only the second time she had spoken to him, and, only the first time she had met the real him, so to speak. 

With a quick nod, she pushed the thoughts from her head and decide the best course of action would be to change the subject.

“Well, without sounding too much like one of those God forsaken chick flicks, if you ever need an ear, I’m here. Now! I believe I deemed tonight a celebration, so we should celebrate!”

The smile he gave her was genuine, and she beamed right back at him. The rest of their evening, or early morning rather, was filled with jokes and laughter, and of course discussing the merits of classic rock. 

By the time she checked her clock, it was nearly three thirty in the morning and she had what she would describe as a ‘solid buzz’ going. Dean was nearly as bad as she was, and both deemed it time to turn in for the night. Instead of hailing a cab, the pair opted to walk back to the more populated part of the Quarter where their hotels were located. 

They walked, arm in arm, continuing their debate on whether or not Led Zeppelin was better than Black Sabbath. By the time they were approaching her hotel, she found herself leaning more into him. She was unsure whether or not this was an affect of the alcohol or the desire to feel his body heat, despite the humidity. She decided the safer bet was the alcohol. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

As they prepared to part ways in the lobby of her hotel, she gave him a tight hug and chaste kiss on the cheek, thanking him for his company. He gave her a soft smile, his eyes holding something that the haze of alcohol wouldn’t let her discern at the moment. As he pulled away from her grip, and said goodbye, a thought popped into her beer addled brain. Cellphone in hand, she accessed her contacts and dialed a number she had been given eight months before. He was pushing open the door when his phone rang. He flipped it open without looking at the screen, expecting Sam to be asking where he was.

“I’m on my way now Sammy.”

“Well that’s good, but this isn’t Sam.”

He stopped short and turned, staring back through the glass door of the lobby where he left her. There she was, still standing in the middle of the empty room, phone pressed to her ear with a smile on her face. 

“And here I thought the gentleman was supposed to call first.”

She laughed out, half surprised that he really did remember their first interactions.

“Well, after eight months, I decided to make an exception. Wanted to be sure you had my number so that you could let me know that you got back alright. Wouldn't want you getting lost in the Quarter.”

“I might be drunk, but I’m not that drunk.’

“Yea… whatever you have to tell yourself Winchester. But really, let me know you get back.”

“Fine. Thanks again for tonight. Doesn’t hurt to cut loose every once in a while.”

She smiled again and agreed. After hanging up the phone, she made her way back to her room to prepare for bed. She had just turned off her light when her phone chirped. 

“Made it back.”

She rolled her eyes. Short, sweet, and to the point. She couldn’t say she was surprised. She typed out a quick response and flicked the phone to silent to salvage what little sleep she was going to get.

A few blocks over, Dean was climbing into bed when his phone vibrated on the night stand. He opened the message and couldn't help the small smile that crossed his lips.

“Congrats on not getting lost. Don’t be a stranger Winchester.”

“Count on it. I’ll see you around, so keep in touch.”

He ran a calloused hand over his face before placing his cell down and shutting off the lights. He and Sam would be getting up in a few hours to hit the road again. But, for the first time in a long time, he knew he would be getting a decent nights sleep. Whether it was from the alcohol or the company, he wouldn't let himself speculate.


	3. Hotel California

3: Hotel California - The Eagles

It had been a few weeks since New Orleans, and she had worked a few cases: a vamp nest in east Texas, a haunting in south Georgia, and a shifter in northern Tennessee. All were fairly easy to dispatch. Now, she was making her way back to the family compound for a few days of rest before regrouping to head out on her next series of hunts.

What surprised her most, since running into the brothers in New Orleans, was that the eldest Winchester wasn’t making himself a stranger after all. In fact, they spoke regularly either via text or phone call. It was strange for her, but he was slowly becoming one of the first friends she had ever had, outside her close-knit family. They talked about their hunts mostly, keeping up with each other’s progress. They joked around a lot. And, on a few rare occasions, they talked about their lives outside of hunting.

Se heaved a sigh. The only thing she hated about these trips home, was that there was no mission to think about on the road. Only her, the highway, and her thoughts. As she turned her music up louder, she convinced herself to drown out all thoughts of Dean Winchester.

The sun was just starting to make its way over the horizon as she turned through the large iron gate on to the well worn gravel road that led into the family compound. Old, sturdy oak trees lined the weaving driveway up to the mansion’s front courtyard. She parked her SUV and climbed out, leaving her bags for once she was settled in. The house loomed over her in the fading sunlight. It was an antebellum monster with massive white columns that stood proudly around the wraparound porch.

Before she could begin her ascent of the brick steps leading up to the porch, a strong hand wrapped around her arm and spun her around. 

“Michael!”

She gave him a broad grin and pulled the giant into a hug. While he was the next in line behind her, he was only 17 and had yet to be fully inducted into the life. She refused to call him her ‘little’ cousin, seeing as how he had a solid six inches on her. And, while she came home as often as possible, it had been too long since she had last seen him. She swore he had grown another inch or two.

“How’d the hunt go? You have to tell me everything!”

The excitement shone in his eyes. He was so eager to have his first real hunt, and he chose to live vicariously though his older cousins.

“All in due time M! First things first. I need a bath and a hot meal.”

He nodded, though his disappointment showed. As he released her, and walked up the stairs, the massive wooded doors of the main entrance swung open, slamming against the frame. Through the opening barreled Michaels younger sister, Maddie. At only 13, she was the baby of the family and still held an innocence and naïvety that had yet to be tainted by the life. Kat barely had time to open her arms wide as Maddie flung herself towards her.

“Kat! I’m so glad you’re back! I have to show you what I’ve learned in weapons training with dad!”

Her laughter was infectious as Kat swung her around. To anyone outside the family, Maddie could be mistaken for her younger sister, and the bond they shared only served to enforce that assumption.

“I’m so proud Mini Me! We will have to go out to the range tomorrow, after your lessons.”

Without setting her down, the trio proceeded into the foyer of the home. This was how it always was when she came back, no matter how long she had been gone. The two youngest greeted her at the door before anyone else had the chance. She stuck her head into the formal sitting room to the right, where the grandparents usually spent most of their time.

Inside, three small elderly women sat around a table going thought pages of documents, no doubt ancient texts that were to be added to the family’s extensive library. As she cleared her throat and walked toward the table, she was immediately greeted by their familiar chatter. All of them asking questions about her most recent hunts, if she was hungry or tired, and her personal favorite, if she had met any boys. She suppressed a sigh and did her best to answer the questions, leaving out the portion about the Winchesters, between hugs. 

The oldest of the women was her fathers mother, Francis. To the family, she held the formal title of Grandmother. She was a short, stout woman in her eighties with lightly graying black hair. While she was never a hunter, her husband, Red was. He was killed on a job when Kat was only seven. Behind her, in her seventies, was her mother’s mother and the matriarch of the family, June. Despite her petit stature, all of the grandkids had grown up with their Gran’s hunts as their favorite bedtime stores. And lastly, there was Mimi, Michale and Maddie’s maternal grandmother. She was the youngest of ‘the elders’, though she had never been a hunter.

After excusing herself from the gaggle of elderly women, she made her way up the massive stair case to the third floor where her rooms was; her ‘home hotel’ as she called it. She opened the door to the familiar surroundings and flung herself onto her king-size bed. The walls of her room were a light gray, with dark cherry wooden floors. The headboard of her bed was constructed from a white antique shutter from the last remodel of the house. White sheets and comforter covered her bed, along with an assortment of pillows. Across from her bed was a large window with a view of the front courtyard and drive way. On the wall to the right of her bed was a large chest containing miscellaneous clothing that wouldn’t fit in her closet. Her collection of antique guns and knives decorated the wall above the dresser.

Coming home always seemed to breathe fresh air back into her lungs. She lounged on her bed a moment longer before she got up to shower. She would be expected at dinner with the whole family in just a few hours.

She pried herself out of the bed and made her way through her walk-in closet to the jack and jill bathroom she shared with her sister, Faye. She closed and locked both doors as she turned on the shower.

Several minutes later, she unlocked the doors and emerged in a cloud of steam. After drying herself, she dressed in a comfortable pair of black leggings and an oversized t-shirt before making her way into the hall. She tapped lightly on her older sister’s door before opening it and jumping onto her bed. Faye sat up with a start, wiping her eyes in an attempt to focus. They both laughed and shared a hug before Faye spoke.

“Still don’t own a hair dryer I see… how were the hunts? I didn’t hear much from you this round.”

Even though Faye was only four years older than her, they acted the same age. She had long auburn hair that hung straight just past her shoulders with bright green eyes. Honestly, they looked nothing alike, except for their height.

They grew up more like best friends and always made a point to speak everyday, even when they were on the job. Faye was the one person in the family that she could be one hundred percent honest with. But this trip, Kat had neglected her sisterly duties, and for that she blamed the Winchesters. Idiots.

“A lot happened this round. After dinner tonight, lets take a walk and catch up. I have something I need to speak with you about anyway.”

Faye eyed her suspiciously, but agreed. As Faye got up to shower for dinner, Kat made her way back downstairs to locate her mother. She was trying to decide if she would need to be involved with her talk with Faye. Mother knows best after all.

She laughed quietly to herself, making her way into the back garden where her mother was sitting in the swing, reading from one of their many lore books. Before Kat could speak, her mother, Chari looked up with a smile. She stood as Kat approached, giving her a tight hug.

“Hello sweetheart! I’m so glad you’re finally home!”

Her mother slid over on the swing to make room. Kat sat indian style next to her, giving her mother a quick rundown of the hunts, before her mother started in on her.

“Well not that I’m not thrilled that everything went well, but you didn't call your sister as regularly. Did something happen?”

Damnit Faye. Coulda hidden this from mom if you’d just kept your mouth shut. She heaved a heavy sigh and ran a hand over her face. She had to tell the truth. Not only would her mother know that she was lying, it would eventually come out and she would never hear the end of it.

“To be honest… yes and no. Look, if you really want to know, I was planning to talk to Faye tonight after dinner. I’ll tell you both then.”

Her mother simply nodded. She knew that Kat was planning to use Faye to soften whatever blow came after their talk. Big sister always had her back. They both stood to go in for dinner with the rest of the family, with Kat taking her time. She was a bit nervous for this after dinner conversation.

Dinner was a typical affair. The places were already set by the time the family made their way into the massive dinning room. The long mahogany table could seat 20, and thankfully that was enough for them… for now. The conversation flowed as everyone who had been away for hunts filled the rest of the clan in on their adventures. The youngest of the group, Michael and Maddie, were especially enthusiastic about her tales. As dinner wound to a close, she could feel her nerves starting to eat at her. 

Too soon the rest of her family was leaving the table to do whatever they had planned after dinner. Her mother and sister eyed her expectantly as they got up from their seats. Her mother went for the kitchen, no doubt going for a bottle of wine to lighten the mood, and Kat and Faye made their way to the back corner of the main garden, next to the pool.

The three women sat as Chari poured glasses of the plum wine she had pulled from the kitchen. Kat took a long sip to give her confidence a boost. Before she could even begin, Faye beat her to it.

“Ok, Kat… Spill! You met a boy didn’t you!”

She almost choked on her wine, but ended up snorting instead. Both her mother and sister were silent and waited for her to continue.

“Well… you see… it’s a little more uh… complicated than that.”

She stammered out the sentence like an idiot. But when she was met with more silence, she unloaded on them. She told them everything. She spilled about the phone number exchange with a demon in the middle nowhere, the bars in New Orleans, the walk back to her hotel, the text messages that continued for weeks and even the occasional phone calls. By the time she finished her story, she was more nervous than she could ever remember. But one look at her mother calmed her immediately. There was no anger at not going completely by the books and no disappointment for continuing to speak with the brothers. Chari simply smiled back at her.

“Oh honey! It’s fine. If that’s all you had to tell us, there was nothing to be nervous about. Look, you already have everything you need to know about both brothers. You’re an adult. You can make your own decisions. Just know that I’m always going to be here to support you!”

“Same here sis!”

Kat breathed a sigh of relief and hugged them both tightly. She supposed they were right. It’s not like other members of the family didn’t have friends outside that were hunters. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to entertain a friendship with the brothers.

After their moment was over, the three women made their way back into the house. Kat decided to head on up to her room for bed. She realized she hadn’t really been getting enough sleep lately, what with the all the hunts and driving she had been doing. 

As she prepared for bed, she walked toward her most prized possession, an old turn table that she had belonged to her late grandfather. She gently lifted the cover, placed an album on, and lowered the needle. As the record began to turn, the soft chords of ‘Hotel California’ began to drift through her speakers. She turned the volume low and climbed into bed to drift off to sleep.

There was very little light in the motel room as she cracked open her eyes. The first sensation she registered was how warm she felt, then an unfamiliar scent reached her nose. It was masculine and clean, like old leather and sandal wood. As she attempted to lift herself to take in her surroundings, a weight against her waist held her tightly in place, then pulled her effortlessly toward the soft warmth to her right. The next sensation that hit her was skin, smooth and warm. Turning in the grasp of her captor, her hazel eyes clashed with emerald green. The corners of his lips lifted in a lazy smile.

“What are you doing up so early? We don’t have to leave for a while yet.”

It took her a moment to process the rest of the situation. He pulled her against him more fully, and now she could feel more warm skin against her. She was fully awake in an instant. ‘Why am I naked?’ The question hung in her mind until she felt his warm lip press firmly against the lower part of her jaw, his teeth nipping gently. She realized then that he was still waiting for a response.

“Dean…”

She tried to question him, tried to respond, but his mouth on her skin shut down all major brain functions. She could only concentrate on the feel of him. She couldn’t help herself, and she gave over completely to the sensations. His mouth trailed like the hottest flames over her jaw, neck, and chest before finally coming to land against her lips. They battled for dominance in a clash of lips, teeth, and tongue before Dean took control. He rolled them so he was positioned above her. His left hand tangled in her messy hair as his right trailed to her hip, pulling them to meet his on in a lazy grinding motion.

She cold feel how hard he was already, and if the ease of his movements was any indication, she was fairly wet for him as well. The only sounds in the room were their panting breaths as he positioned himself to enter her. She arched against his chest as he was fully seated inside her. And with a gentle roll of his hips, the dance began. He was slow at first. Taking his time working both of them toward the on coming peak. As they inched closer to the edge, his pace quickened. Instead of languid rolls of his hips, there were sharp thrust that forced him deep within her. Her legs shook as she reached her end. Just as lights began to explode behind her eyes, he called her name. She heard her name again, but this time, the voice was not Dean’s.

She opened her eyes, unaware of her surroundings. Faye smiled down at her from her position next to the bed. A dream… really? What am I, a teenager? She was so disgruntled with herself and her sister, she grabbed the nearest pillow and flung it towards Faye’s face. She dodged easily and summoned her grouchy younger sister for breakfast. Goddamn wet dream. Can’t even remember the last time that happened.

Grabbing her phone from the charger, she looked down to check the time, but a message on the screen caught her eye. Great… Just what I need.

“Hope you made it home safely. Just wrapped up Chupacabra hunt… and yes you read that right. Catch up when you're not busy.”

She would call him later, but for now she put the phone back on her night stand and made her way downstairs for breakfast. She just prayed that the next few days at home would be uneventful. She didn’t know how long she would be able to hide how this was affecting her.


	4. Season of the Witch

As she pulled her SUV off the gravel of her family’s driveway and on to the main road, she pushed the commands into her steering wheel to make a call she was slightly nervous about. The whole plan relied on the brothers being relatively close to Tulsa, where she was heading for a good old-fashioned witch hunt. Fucking witches… hate them. For once, her mother picked her case. According to her, a witch hunt was the perfect way to learn to hunt with someone new… “its how I met your father” she says. “Be nice to the boy” she says. 

She released something close to a frustrated growl as the line rang. Just when she was about to hang up, his voice came through the other end.

“Thought you forgot about me.”

She laughed despite her mood. If she wasn’t mistaken, she heard a little disappointment behind his words, but she shook the thought free and decided to dive right in.

“Not at all, Winchester. Just doing a little research on my next case with the family. In fact that’s why I’m calling. Look… How close are the two of you to Tulsa?”

The line was quiet for a moment, then she heard the rustling of paper and him muttering to himself.

“Probably about eight hours out if I drive. Sammy here is taking his sweet time.”

She heard the small struggle on the other end and couldn’t help but smile at the brothers’ antics.

“Perfect! Look, if y'all have the time, I could really use a little back up on this one.”

“Yea. We can squeeze it in. No cases of our own at the moment anyway.”

“Thanks. I’ll send ya the coordinates to meet and explain more once y'all get there. See you soon.”

“See ya.”

With that, the line went dead. She had about seven hours to drive before she reached Tulsa. She’d have plenty of time to get settled in and prepare before the brothers arrived. She sent a quick text to her mother and sister to let them know the plan was in motion. If she was honest with herself, she would admit that she was a little giddy at the thought of seeing the eldest Winchester again. Thoughts of the dream she had a few nights before streamed back to her. Not doing this now… She huffed and turned her music back up and lit a cigarette as she tore down the interstate toward her destination.

It was getting close to five by the time she heard the Impala pulling in to the motel parking lot. Only a few moments after, there was a heavy knock on her door. She got up from couch and opened the door, greeting both brothers with a big hug.

“Long time, no see guys.”

Sam was the first one through the door, followed closely by Dean. She couldn’t help the way her eyes trailed over him for a moment. He was wearing a dark gray t-shirt underneath an army green button-up. His heavy leather coat hanging perfectly on his shoulders. She had to resist the urge to move closer to him. If he noticed her struggle, he didn't say anything.

After saying hello, they sat around the small room as Kat explained the case. They went through all the research she had brought with her. After a few hours of studying her notes they had devised a sound game plan. It was nearing eight when she heard her stomach rumble and recalled that she hadn’t eaten since breakfast that morning. Grabbing her keys from the night stand, they agreed to grab a bite to eat before heading to bed.

She drove them over to a nearby diner for dinner. Surprisingly, the awkwardness was minimal for their small group. They made small talk as they ate and drank a little before calling it a night. The ride back to the motel was relatively quiet and uneventful, each preparing themselves for the task the next day.

After parking her SUV next to the Impala, they said good night and went back to their respective rooms. She had taken the liberty of booking them a room adjoining hers so that, if something happened, they would all be able to reach each other. As she went about her nightly routine, she could hear the occasional raised voice next door, sounding more like Dean than Sam, then quiet talking agin. She shrugged to herself and resolved to let the brothers have their privacy.

Next door, the argument between the brothers continued. It was nothing new. Ever since New Orleans, Sam had dogged Dean about the pretty hunter, constantly asking him when he had spoken to her. He had this strange curiosity about Deans relationship with Kat, and now it was even worse. 

“Come on man! She called you… brought us in on a hunt. She doesn’t need backup. Ya said it yourself. She has a whole family of backup. She brought you in for a reason, but you still clam up around her. I mean… didn't you notice her checking you out when we came in?”

Dean was silent for a moment, thinking back on arriving at the small motel. He remembered walking in and seeing her, long blonde hair in a loose braid pulled over her left shoulder. She wore a plain white cut-off tank under a plaid flannel. Her jeans were old and obviously well-worn with frays along both thighs and the knees long since torn out. Her white Converse were barely visible beneath the full flair of the jeans. Once again, her appearance struck him, although he refused to admit it. What he could admit, if only to himself, was that it was very possible that he was so consumed with checking her out that he missed her doing the same.

“She was not checking me out, Sammy. And just because she asked for backup on a hunt doesn’t mean that there’s some ulterior motive behind it.”

Sam heaved a heavy sigh at his brothers stubbornness. 

“Just admit that you have a thing for her and I’ll leave it alone.”

“Don’t have a thing for her Sam. Let it go.”

Dean half mumbled his denial to Sam before rolling to his side, facing away from his brother, and trying to sleep. Definitely don't have a thing for her… well maybe a small thing. She is attractive after all… and knows her classic rock… Deans thoughts continued on a similar pattern as he drifted off.

Morning came early as her alarm blared through the stillness of her room, jerking her from a comfortable sleep. She stretched lazily and got up to grab a bite to eat before meeting up with the boys to get ready for the hunt. After starting a pot of coffee, she checked the weather as she tugged her Converse on her feet. She still wore her white tank-top from the day before, but had exchanged her jeans for a pair of leggings to sleep. After noting the chilly temperature, she tugged her favorite pullover on before pouring her coffee and stepping out of the room for a quick smoke. She made her way to the back of her SUV and opened the rear hatch. She climbed up to take a seat and reached into her snack bag for a breakfast bar. She ate most of her breakfast in silence, her thoughts interrupted by his voice.

“Gotta respect a girl that’s up and at ’em early for a hunt”

The grin on his face gave her a small flutter in her chest, but she chose to ignore it.

“Ya know what they say… Early bird gets the witch, bitch.”

He laughed, moving closer to sit next to her with his own coffee in hand. He situated himself as she motioned to the bag she had produced her breakfast bar from. 

“Not much, but breakfast is in the bag, if you want it.”

He nodded and turned to reach into the bag. He pulled out a snack size cherry pie, a grin spread across his face as he turned back around with his prize in hand, pulling a snicker from her. 

“And she doesn’t forget the pie.”

She just shook her head, finishing off her cigarette and coffee as she sat with him while he ate. It wasn’t long until he finished and stood from his seat, offering his hand to help her down. They returned to their rooms to get ready for the hunt.

After the day of preparation, it was close to sunset when the Impala rolled into an older looking neighborhood. The plan was for Dean and Kat to create a distraction by posing as a new couple looking to move in to the neighborhood as Sam broke in the back door and got into position. Everything was flawless until it all came crashing down. 

The witch was stronger than any of the research she had done with her family or the Winchesters had indicated. As soon as the plan had gone into motion, the witch had caught on. Launched by an unseen force into a nearby wall, her head slammed the tile floor with a sickening crack. She was out, which left Dean and Sam to finish off the job.

Sam was the one with the witch-killing potion, so Dean distracted the witch for Sam to be able to molotov her and recite the incantation. His plan worked, but a little too well. Before Sam could finish, the witch was using a spell of her own, muttering into her clasped palm. 

Kat awoke just in time to witness the witch open her palm and blow a black powder in Dean’s direction. It seemed to dance through the air with a mind of its own before heading straight into Dean’s nose. She sprang into action, despite the ache throughout her body. 

She reached Dean just as his body began to collapse, wrapping an arm securely around his chest. She was too weak to withstand his full weight dragging both of them to the floor. Everything was in slow motion for her. The arm that wasn't holding him to her, held his head close to her chest as she braced them for impact. 

As her brain caught up to her surroundings, she looked down to see him conscious, thankfully. Frustration was visible on his face.

“Can’t move… I can’t move”

She was momentarily frozen. She looked back toward Sam, seeing the rest of the witch disintegrating between them as he launched toward her and his brother. To be honest, she was terrified, and if the look on Sam’s face was any indication, so was he. She held Dean closer to her, taking comfort in the steady heart beat that she could feel just under her left palm. Her right hand had yet to release his face from her chest.

Sam tried to help him stand, but it was no good. It was like he was paralyzed. It would be on Sam and Kat to carry his limp body to the car. Dean muttered complaints to himself as they somehow managed to get him into the backseat of the Impala. At this point, she was grateful that they had opted to bring only one vehicle.

After Dean was in the car, she proceeded to climb in with him. As she maneuvered his upper body, Sam leaned in from the passenger side to help. He pulled Dean into a sitting position as Kat sat, her back against the closed door and frame, stretching her legs into the space behind the passenger seat. Once she was settled, Sam guided Dean to lean back against her. She secured her arms around him once again as Sam made his way to the driver seat and started the engine.

“Are you in any pain?”

Her voice was soft as she questioned him. He responded with a no, refusing to meet her eyes. She paused a moment, trying to figure out what exactly this spell was doing to him.

“I know you can’t move, but can you feel anything?”

She smoothed her hand over the upper part of his chest for emphasis. She barely heard the yes he whispered as he closed his eyes. She was relieved at that. The damaged didn’t seem to effect anything but his ability to move, so maybe it wouldn’t be difficult to reverse.

As Sam drove them in the direction of the hotel, she had no idea what they would do from there. They definitely had to go back to the hotel to get their things, but there was no way she would be able to take her Mercedes anywhere. She definitely had a concussion and was in no condition to drive, and there was no way Dean would be able to go anywhere without someone restraining him. She sighed lightly and reached for her phone, resigning to call her mother for help. It would be the easiest way out of this mess, since this was her bright idea anyway.

Her mother picked up on the first ring.

“Kat… what’s wrong?”

“Mom…”

She paused to collect herself. She couldn't even come close to falling apart in front of the boys.

“It’s Dean. Something’s happened. He's awake, but the witch whammyed him with some type of spell before we could kill her. He’s completely paralyzed.”

“Where are you?”

She could hear the worry in her mother’s voice. She would surely be sending half the house into action as they spoke. Her eyes met Sam’s in the rearview as she replied.

“Tulsa. We’re in the Impala heading back to the hotel. I took a solid blow to the head and can’t drive. The plan is to get our things and head back to the bunker since its closer than the compound.”

“Smart girl. Michael is researching now and Faye and I are heading your way. Send me the coordinates for the hotel and the bunker. We will bring your car to you.”

“Thanks”

With that, she hung up and sent the coordinates. Michael was the technical genius of the family. She knew he would be texting her for details of the spell shortly. She kept her phone in hand as she wrapped her arm back around the eldest Winchester lying in her lap for the rest of the silent ride back to the hotel.

After pulling into the parking lot, Sam helped her out of the back seat with a promise to be back as quickly as possible to Dean, who only grumbled at them and rolled his eyes. The two able-bodied members of the team moved into action, gathering up the bags from the hotel rooms. Just as Sam managed to fit their bags into the trunk of the Impala, Kat emerged from her SUV with the snack bag, a pillow, and a blanket in hand. He gave her a questioning look as she shoved the bag into his hands and the pillow and blanket into the front seat.

“Food so we don't have to stop and something to make this a little more comfortable.”

Sam simply nodded, and after the brief struggle of getting her back into position behind Dean, along with the pillow that cushioned her back from the car and the blanket that she draped over the two of them, they were back on the road. She checked her clock. It was close to midnight now and her mother and sister were a solid seven hours behind them. She knew it would be a long drive back to the bunker, but she did her best to keep as still as possible to make sure Dean was comfortable for the five-hour trip.

After about an hour into their drive, she heard him address her softly.

“Hey… Kat. You alright?”

She smiled down at where his head rested against her chest, his face tilted slightly toward hers so that he could see her in the low light. She nodded gently, trying not to jostle him more than necessary.

“Fine… just gonna have a knot for a few days. Not the worst I’ve had.”

He seemed satisfied with that and relaxed again. They stayed that way for a while. Everyone was exhausted but she was fighting sleep hard, knowing that was a terrible idea with her concussion. To distract herself from sleep, she began to deftly run her fingers through Dean’s hair. I’m sure he will complain if he wants me to stop, but just in case, it will help him relax some. 

After several minutes of gentle ministrations in his hair, his light snores pulled her from her thoughts. She smiled to herself and looked up to meet Sam’s eyes in the rearview again. The look he was giving her was something that she couldn't quite understand, but she could see the smile behind his eyes. She gave up trying to analyze Sam in favor of starring out the car window again as Dean slept soundly against her.

It was close to four in the morning when Sam pulled the Impala into the garage. She was exhausted, but she gently shook Dean’s shoulder to wake him. His eyes stared up at her unfocused for a moment before he took in his surroundings. Dean being this quiet unnerved her a bit, but she refused to overthink things now. She climbed from behind him and out of the car, wincing as her body protested. Together, she and Sam pulled him from the vehicle and carried him to his room. They positioned him on the bed and told him to call out if he needed them. All they got was an eye roll in response.

Sam was obviously worried and Kat hoped that she would be hearing from Michael again soon. After she had told him everything the three of them could remember about the witch and the spell, he had set to work and said he would call as soon as he had something. She put a lot of faith in her giant younger cousin and that made Sam feel a little better. As they walked into the library to do a little research of their own, Kat couldn’t help but wonder what was going on in Dean’s head keeping him so quiet.

Her phone rang around an hour after they arrived at the bunker. Her mother was on the other line letting her know that Faye had her car and they were heading to Lebanon to deliver it. She thanked her mother for what felt like the hundredth time since the first call and went back to her research. 

It was around seven when her phone rang again. This time it was Michael with a possible cure for Dean’s paralysis. According to him, they were lucky that Sam had already molotoved the witch. Since the potion had weakened her, the spell she used wasn’t at full power. Kat had passed the phone to Sam to let them discuss the specifics of the cure as she made her way to Dean’s room to check in on him.

His eyes shifted towards her as she cracked the door open. She gave him a soft smile and approached his bed, sitting on the edge. She couldn't suppress the smile that spread across her face as she delivered the good news. His eyes brightened instantly and he let a smile of his own cross his features.

“Good news sleeping beauty, Michael is on the phone with Sam now. I believe we have a possible cure.”

“Thank God! I was beginning to think I’d have to rely on you and Sammy to carry me around forever.”

“Think again princess. You’ll be on your feet in no time. I just wanted to give you the good news. I’m gonna head back and see what Sam needs help with. Need anything at the moment?”

He said no, but as she stood to leave, he stopped her.

“Kat… thanks. For tonight, I mean. You didn’t have to do all this for us. We woulda figured it out eventually.”

She gave him a soft smile as she turned around to face him again. She crouched next to the head of his bed and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek.

“Of course I did. Pretty much my fault for getting y'all involved anyway. Besides, what am I going to do if my favorite hunter is out of commission?”

She stood again and turned to leave without giving him an opportunity to respond or stop her. She made her way back into the library where her phone was lying on the table, but there was no Sam. As she made her way through the bunker, she found Sam in the kitchen going through cabinets and placing jars on the counter along with a crumpled piece of paper of his scribbled notes.

“Need any help?”

He looked up at her for only a moment before going back to mixing in the pot on the stove the ingredients of whatever potion he and Michael had discussed.

“Nah. Nothin’ too complicated. Had everything here we needed. Only catch is that, according to Michael, it will take a few days to get the spell completely out of his system.”

She was a bit surprised that it wouldn’t take effect immediately, but she couldn't complain. She would stick around as long as the brothers needed her to. It was the least she could do after dragging them into this just because her mother said it would be a good idea.

She was in Dean’s room helping Sam give Dean the potion he had concocted when a horn blared outside. She looked at the clock on the wall and realized it was most likely her mother and sister. Sam moved from his position of holding Dean up while she sat the bowl with the potion down on his nightstand. With a promise to return shortly, they left Dean to his own devices once again.

They made their way out of the garage entrance of the bunker so that Faye could pull Kat’s car in. Faye climbed out and hugged her little sister tightly. She was just grateful that everyone was going to be fine and that she had been home when she was needed. Her mother rushed in and hugged her girls after parking her Yukon just outside the garage.

“Mom, Faye… this is Sam. Sam, this is my mom, Chari, and my big sister, Faye.”

As her mother and sister took a step back to regard him, she watched both of their faces in amusement. Her mother hugged the taller man enthusiastically. Faye on the other hand was quite reserved about the whole interaction. She would have to remember to question her about that later because her mother chose that moment to embarrass the life out of her. She was beyond grateful that Dean was not within earshot.

“Kat, I sure hope the brother that you’re so enamored with is as attractive as this one. You know Sam, I’m definitely looking forward to grandchildren one day.”

She and Faye both turned beet red. The sisters hurried to get their mother back to her vehicle to save themselves future embarrassment. As the women said their goodbyes, Chari made Sam promise that, once Dean was feeling better, they would be making a trip to the compound so that her family could properly thank them for their help with the hunt.

After her mother and sister left for their twelve-hour drive back home, Kat and Sam returned to Dean’s room to finish administering the cure and help him get settled in. Once Dean was taken care of, Sam escorted her to the vacant room next to Dean’s. He helped her unload the bag she had brought and she settled in for her stay with the brothers.

She took a deep breath as she finally got ready to go to sleep that night. Nothing in the last twenty-four hours had gone the way she had planned, and she was grateful that Dean was going to be alright. Once more, before climbing into bed, she decided to peak next door and check on him. 

He was asleep. Much to her relief, his head was turned toward her and looked to be much more comfortable. Guess that’s a good sign that the cure is doing it’s job. She went back to her room and crawled into bed, flipping off the small lamp on the table, before surrendering to sleep.


	5. Follow Me Down

Just like Michael said, the concoction they had given Dean had taken a couple of days to get him back to normal. He started out slowly, being able to turn his head and wiggle his fingers and toes. By the second day, he was sitting up and moving his arms and legs. While he tried to play it off, she knew that he was just as relived as she and Sam were.

Now, three days after ‘the incident’, the hunters were going a little stir-crazy in the bunker. Dean paced anxiously while Sam scoured the web for a new case. Kat, however, was doing just about anything she could think of to keep herself busy. She was just sitting down to read another of the Men of Letters lore books when her phone rang.

“Hi Faye… what’s up?”

She had only spoken with her sister once since they departed a few days before. This time, it was Faye dodging her calls and texts. She hadn’t forgotten about the awkward introduction to Sam, and she would be damned if she let that go.

“Not much. Look… mom wants to know when you're bringing the boys. She’s hell bent on thanking them properly for the witch hunt.”

Kat paused for a second. She hadn’t thought her mother was serious about dragging the boys all the way to rural Mississippi just to thank them, but obviously she thought wrong.

“Uh… well actually… we haven't really talked about it. I didn’t think she was serious.”

“Dead serious, Kat. You better be getting shit together quick before she comes back to Kansas to get all three of you. She quizzed Michael for an hour as soon as we got home about how long the cure would take to work.”

Kat heaved a heavy sigh. Looks like there’s no getting out of this one. 

“Fine, Faye. Tell her I’ll talk to them about it tonight. I’ll text you with an answer…. Oh and Faye?”

“Yea…”

She heard the uncomfortable pause in her sister’s voice and decided to let her hang a moment before finishing her statement.

“You better be ready to talk to me about what happened here, in the garage, when I get back. Hope you didn’t think I missed it.”

Faye sputtered on the other line. Oh how she loved to make her big sister uncomfortable. She knew Faye was trying to find a way out, but she wouldn’t give her the opportunity to find an excuse. 

“I mean it Faye. I’ll text you once I talk to the boys. Love you… see you soon sis.”

She hung up the phone before Faye could respond.

“Talk to the boys about what?”

She turned to find Dean standing behind her, his pacing bringing him into the library as she ended her call. She stood from the table, checking the time on her phone.

“All in due time, Winchester. Now… how about we actually go somewhere to eat tonight since you’re yourself again. I’m starved and tired of cooking for you two.”

He nodded his head, and she made her way back to her room, stopping to let Sam know what the plan was. Once she returned to her room, she grabbed her toiletry bag to head to the showers.

Several minutes later, she emerged and returned to her room. She thought that maybe if she could get the brothers fed, and a little alcohol in their systems, she might could convince them to go along with her mother’s desire to thank them. She didn’t think it would be an issue for them, but it was for her. It wasn’t everyday that other hunters were invited to the compound. 

She heaved another heavy sigh and began rifling through her bag for something presentable to wear for dinner. Not that she really cared, but with Dean being better, they had a reason to celebrate. At least that’s what she was telling herself. Besides that, she was probably going to have to resort to sweet talking the boys into coming back home with her. She began trying to formulate a plan of attack while she dressed.

Dressing was the easy part, as she didn’t have many options in the bag she had packed for the witch hunt. She pulled a black lace bandeau over her breast and a long, white tank-top over her head. She paired it with her well-worn skinny jeans; miscellaneous frays and holes decorating the length of both legs. On her feet, she wore her black combat boots. Dressing is definitely the easy part.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror and decided, for once, to use the extra bag Faye always managed to sneak into her luggage. She dried her long hair and prepared herself to use the wand from the bag that she had never even bother to open. Several minutes and burned fingers later, she was pleased with her handy-work. Her hair held the soft curls that fell across her shoulders well. Now for the hard part.

She stared at the rest of contents from the bag in confusion, not really sure where to begin. She took a deep breath and set to work, deciding that if she could kill monsters, she could apply makeup. Not even attempting to use any of the skin colored pallets and bottles, she went straight for her eyes. She applied a thin layer black liner around her upper and lower lashes and smudged it out to hide the imperfections. Satisfied with the liner, she applied a little mascara to her lashes. A little lip gloss on her plump lips was as brave as she was willing to go. She would have to remind herself to have Faye teach her a thing or two next time she was home.

A soft knock on her door pulled her from her musings as she stored away the makeup case. Turning toward the sound, she found Sam leaning in her doorway. 

“Ready when you are, Kat.”

“Yea… ready. Just let me grab my jacket.”

He waited for her as she grabbed her leather jacket, pulling it on over her almost sheer tank-top. It was definitely the most girly thing she owned. Pulling her hair from underneath the collar, she turned to face Sam. He smiled broadly, something unnamed dancing in his eyes.

“You look good.”

Suddenly self-conscious, she didn't really know how to respond. She didn't take complements well. Opting for a grunt thrown in his direction, she made her way past him and into the hall. His muffled laugh followed her. She would definitely need a stiff drink to make it through tonight.

Making her way down the hall, toward the garage, she stopped short as Dean emerged from his room. She couldn't help it. Even after the time she spent with him over the last few days, she was still not completely immune to his presence. She glanced over his appearance, deciding that she liked the unofficial uniform of his thin gray t-shirt underneath his open button up with the sleeves rolled to his elbows. As her eyes ascended the column of his throat to his face, she blushed heavily realizing she had been caught ogling him. She had no idea that he hadn’t noticed her reaction at all, having been too consumed with his own thoughts of her.

Sam broke the awkward bubble surrounding them as he cleared his throat saying they should probably head out. Dean and Kat both nodded, shaking their very similar thoughts from their heads as they followed Sam to the Impala. Dean took his standard place as driver while Kat slid into the back and Sam took shotgun. The ride to the small bar and grill, while short, was filled with an awkward silence. She was trying desperately to come up with a way to breach the subject of bringing the brothers home.

After making their way into the small bar that Dean swore had the best burgers around, they found a booth close to the bar and sat down. Sam sat on one side while Dean sat on the other, making her choose who she sat next to. Without putting much thought into it, she slid into the booth next to Dean. Again the look in Sam’s eyes made her glance around impatiently searching for a waiter, ready to order a drink.

A few minutes after they sat down, the waiter was at their table to take their drink orders. After the boys ordered, instead of ordering her usual beer, she ordered a glass of whiskey, earning a stare from the brothers. She tried to calm herself, thinking of the best way to begin. She couldn’t for the life of her understand why she was so nervous.

Thankfully, Sam broke the awkward silence, making small talk until the food was ordered. By the time their meals came out, she had begun to relax as they finished the second round of drinks. Laughter and conversation flowed easily now and she figured there was no time like the present to clue the brothers in on her mother’s wishes.

“Ok. Ok… look guys, I have a… proposition for you.”

Both brothers eyed her suspiciously, Dean leaned away from her to be able to regard her fully. Neither spoke as they waited for her to continue.

“Faye called today. Apparently mother is insisting that the two of you come home with me for a few days. She want’s to thank you for your help with the hunt.”

“Oh yea. I had forgotten that she said something about that in the garage. When is she expecting us?”

Sam surprised her yet again. Of course, she had also forgotten that part of the conversation… what with her mother mentioning future grandchildren to the younger Winchester.

“As soon as possible actually. If y’all can’t I understand. I’m sure she won’t be too disappointed.”

“Of course we can… right Sammy? I mean it’s not like we have any jobs lined up. Besides, it would be interesting to see how this family of yours works.”

To say she was relieved would be an understatement. She beamed at the brothers excitedly before downing the rest of her drink and slamming the glass on to the table for emphasis.

“Then it’s decided. I’ll tell Faye to let mom know. Are y’all good to leave tomorrow? She gets kinda impatient.”

Sam and Dean agreed, and just like that, the massive weight on her shoulders disappeared. Jokes and conversation passed easily between their small group. Mostly, there were questions about her family and how they worked. She made a mental note to discuss with Dean the way Sam casually brought up Faye. She could feel her matchmaker senses tingling.

A few hours later, she found herself fairly intoxicated, along with both brothers. Apparently, the bar Dean had chosen for dinner also served as the local karaoke hangout. Although she would never admit it sober, she had always loved karaoke and would perform anytime she was given the chance. She liked to think that if she wasn’t a hunter, she would be a singer for some band somewhere, performing all over the world. For her, karaoke was the next best thing.

With that last thought in mind, she quietly excused herself from the table without hinting to the Winchesters where she was going. She quickly signed up with the DJ to perform, and as the last song ended, she took her place on stage. She spotted their table and, to her relief, neither of the brothers had noticed what she was up to. As the opening rifts blared through the speakers of the bar she prepared herself.

Since I met you I’ve been crazy  
Since I’ve been with you I’ve been lost  
You make everything seem hazy  
Love comes with such a cost

She sent a sly smile over to their table as she did her best Taylor Momsen impression. She had their attention now. As she belted out the lyrics, she crooked her finger in Dean’s direction, motioning him to come closer to the stage.

He got up slowly, making his was to her. He sat at a pub table next to the stage as she began the chorus. She shed her jacket, leaving her in only her sheer tank, and tossed it towards him. As he caught the jacket, she climbed down from the low stage and made her way to him. When she reached him, she lightly placed one hand on his thigh as she continued her performance.

Nights avoiding things unholy  
Your hand slips across my skin  
I go down on you so slowly  
Don’t confess none of your sins

As she continued the song, he felt like her hands were everywhere. One slid across his chest and over his arm, traveling down to stop where his hand rested on his thigh. He was completely hypnotized by her. As she whispered the final chorus into the mic, she pressed herself closer to him, her breath ghosting across his jaw and throat. And as the last chords rang through the speakers, she pressed her lips to his in a searing kiss.

He couldn't stop himself, even if he wanted to. One hand gripped her hips in place, between his thighs, while the other fisted in her long hair, pulling her deeper into the kiss. Their tongues battled for dominance as her fingers gripped his biceps like a lifeline. The whistles and cat-calls from the crowd pulled them from each other, panting. The grin that spread across his face, as he took her hand and lead her back to their booth, set her blood on fire. She had no idea where her sudden boldness had come from, but she wasn’t complaining.

Sam stared openly at them as they took their seats. A blush spread hotly across her cheeks. Apparently Dean wasn’t at all embarrassed by her littler performance. As soon as they sat down, his arm draped heavily around her bare shoulders, pulling her closer to him. Once again, it was Sam to the rescue, breaking the silence that fell over the table as the next singer took the stage.

“Didn’t realize you could sing.”

Kat just laughed. She made a metal note to do something nice for the younger brother to thank him for making things less awkward between Dean and herself.

“There’s a lot you boys don’t know about me. I like to surprise people.”

“I’d say so.”

While his words were innocent, his deep voice pared with his grip around her shoulders spoke to what he left unsaid. A shiver ran down her spine, her mind flashing to the dream she had only a week prior. Shit.

The rest of the night was uneventful for the most part. Drinks were had and jokes were made. All the while, Dean never released her from his grasp. She didn’t mind one bit. 

They called it a night close to midnight, seeing that they had a solid twelve-hour drive to Mississippi the next day. She staggered as she stood from the booth. She had drank more than she had intended, but she was too happy to care. 

They made their way back to the Impala to drive back to the bunker. Dean hadn’t pulled out of the parking lot by the time she was passed out in the backseat. He eyed her from the rearview as he drove. There was something about her that he couldn't put his finger on. 

Sure she was pretty, funny, and into his music, but there was something else. His thoughts drifted back to when he had first seen her that night. It was all he could do not to pull her into his bedroom and refuse to let her leave. The kiss they had shared at the bar did nothing to stop that desire. 

He was pulled from his thoughts too soon as they arrived back at the bunker. He climbed out of the driver seat and leaned in the back to wake her up. As she climbed out of the car, she stumbled, leaning into him for support. Without thinking, he pulled her up into his arms and carried her to her room. As he placed her on her feet inside, she wrapped her arms around him, burying her nose in his neck.

He couldn’t stop the smile that spread across his lips as he felt her place feather light kisses against his throat. On any other night, with any other girl, Dean Winchester would already have her between the sheets, but this was different. He didn’t want it to happen like this, not with her. He pulled away from her, snickering softly at her pout. He placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

“Goodnight, Kat. Thanks again for tonight.”

“Pleasure was mine, Winchester.”

She pulled him back for another mind numbing kiss. Just like in her dream, they fought for dominance in a battle of lips, tongue, and teeth. He broke away from her as she took a breath and kissed her softly once more.

“Not tonight.”

“Yea yea… wait ‘till I’m sober.”

She rolled her eyes at him and he couldn't help but laugh. He made his way back to her door, before addressing her once more.

“Night, Kat.”

“Goodnight, Dean.”

Her door closed with a soft click. She fell back on her bed with a giddy smile plastered across her face. It was close to one in the morning and she knew Faye would murder her if she woke her at this hour. She settled for a quick text to let her know that they would be leaving in the morning. After the text was sent, she settled in for sleep. She wasn’t sure if it was from the alcohol or Dean’s kiss, but she knew she would sleep better that night than she had in a long time.


	6. Complexity

6: Complexity - The Eagles of Death Metal

By six in the morning, the group of hunters were pulling out of the bunker’s garage, heading south. While the drive was already going to be long, her pounding headache was only making it worse. She wore her darkest sunglasses and took something to ease the pain, but her hangover still persisted. However, no matter how bad she felt, she couldn’t bring herself to regret the previous night. She still couldn’t believe she had made a move on the eldest Winchester. A grin spread across her face at the hazy memory.

A few car lengths ahead of her, tension between the brothers was brewing. Sam was getting too much enjoyment from torturing Dean for details about the previous night and what he was thinking. Dean, on the other hand, was being as tight lipped as possible, which only made Sam press further.

“Dude, you seriously didn’t sleep with her?”

“For the last time Sammy, no. I did not sleep with her. Now can we just drop it?”

Dean’s frustration was at it’s peak. Sam had been on him for the last three hours, asking for details and pushing him to consider things he wasn’t quite ready to admit.

“Why not? I mean, its obvious that your attracted to each other… not to mention the little show she put on at the bar.”

“I dunno dude, bad timing? Look, just let this go. If not, you can go ride with her. I’m done talking about it.”

“Jerk.”

“Bitch.”

A silence fell over the pair until Dean pulled off the interstate and made his way to the nearest gas station. He had to get a break from Sam, and he needed to think. 

Kat pulled up next to the Impala just in time to see an agitated Dean Winchester slamming his door and stomping into the small store. Sam, however, was lounging against the side of the car, pumping gas, and smiling ear to ear. She couldn't help but laugh at the brothers and wonder what was going on that had Sam so pleased with himself and Dean so on edge. Her passenger door snatching open interrupted her train of thought. On reflex, she had her 9mm Ruger pulled from the holster next to her seat and aimed at the intruder.

“Woah, princess! Is that any way to treat your favorite hunter?”

His grin and raised hands brought a smile back to her face as she giggled at his antics. She holstered the pistol before holding her own hands up in surrender.

“Sorry, Winchester. Didn’t your daddy ever teach you not to sneak up on a lady who’s packing?”

Dean simply laughed to himself and climbed in the passenger seat, closing the door. At her look of confusion, he handed her a fresh cup of coffee and a bottle of water. She smiled gratefully and took them, placing the water in her cup holder and taking a greedy gulp of the steaming coffee.

“Consider it a peace offering. I was hoping that Sam could ride with you for a while. He’s drivin’ me crazy with all the chatter.”

She laughed again, taking another sip from her coffee. Feeling bold, and a bit giddy from the kiss the night before, she decided she’d see how far she could push the older hunter.

“I don’t see why not… although I wouldn’t complain if you decided to ride shotgun instead. I’m sure you would make the ride much more entertaining.”

She hid her grin behind her cup as he choked out a laugh, freckled cheeks slightly tinted pink. Mentally, she was pounding her chest like King Kong for being able to pull even the slightest reaction from the eldest Winchester. He turned his emerald green gaze her direction and rolled his tongue over his full lips, leaning toward her.

“I have no doubt about that, sweetheart.”

It was her turn to suppress the blush that was threatening to spread from her cheeks to her chest. Not one to be outdone, she decided to take action. Without a word, leaning over her center console, she closed the gap between them. Her lips were a hair away from his. She could feel the warm puff of his breath and smell the coffee he had been sipping, but she made no move to make contact. She, instead, opted to hold her ground, maintain eye contact, and wait for him to make the final move.

“Ball’s in your court, Winchester.”

She didn’t have to wait long. His eyes slid to her lips, then snapped back up to hers. Before she could fully process his movements, one of his hands was wrapped securely in her blonde tresses, pulling her closer and molding his lips over hers. 

Fully sober, his kiss was even better than she recalled. His lips were warm and soft against hers. And while he certainly dominated her, he was far from rough. From the gentle tugs of her hair to the soft nips he placed on her bottom lip, she was hyper aware of his every movement. All it took was the blaring horn of the Impala to bring reality crashing down around them.

She tried pulling away slowly, to acclimate herself to her surroundings, but Dean’s grip in her hair held her in place. He pressed a final chaste kiss over her lips before releasing her and turning to glare at his baby brother through the windshield. 

“Like I said, he’s driving me insane.”

Kat just laughed again at the brothers and slid her hand down Dean’s arm to give his hand a gentle squeeze, bringing his attention back to her.

“It’s no problem… besides, I have a few questions of my own for Sammy. You should have seen him when he met Faye.”

“By all means, give’m hell. We’ll stop again in a few hours, so we shouldn’t be too late getting to the compound.”

She nodded in consent, as Dean climbed out of the car, he yelled from Sam to switch vehicles, pulling his hand from her grip. Moments later, Sam was sliding in the passenger seat with a broad grin plastered across his face. She simply rolled her eyes and started the engine, pulling out behind the Impala. She gave him the opportunity to speak to whatever was on his mind, but he just gave her that knowing smirk and stared at the highway. She began to get a little antsy, dying to know what Sam thought of Faye.

“So Sam, I couldn’t help but notice your curiosity about Faye last night. Anything you wanna ask me?”

There was a slight pause where he visibly stiffened at the mention of her older sister. His cheeks brightened, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. Cutting his eyes in her direction, his smile widened as he spoke and she knew she was going to regret it.

“Can’t believe you noticed much of anything besides my brother.”

“Haha, Sam… very funny, but this is about you and my sister. You’re interested aren't you?”

“And you're interested in Dean.”

It was more of a statement than a question. If he wants to play hardball, fine. I’ll get him to crack. She grinned at him. She wouldn’t deny that the eldest Winchester certainly had her attention, but she wasn’t letting Sam off the hook that easy.

“Possibly, but I asked you first. Tell you what… one question for one answer. Sound fair?”

“Fine. Yes, I'm interested. What’s the deal with you and Dean?”

“Honestly… it’s complicated for me, but I’m definitely interested to see where things go. What are your thoughts on Faye? When I spoke with her yesterday, she certainly clammed up when I mentioned you.”

“What did you say to her?”

She smiled to herself. Gotcha! She replayed to conversation to him and couldn’t help grinning like the Cheshire Cat at his discomfort.

“You obviously caught her eye, Sammy.”

“What’s she like?”

She couldn’t hold back the look of sheer delight that crossed her features. She loved her sister dearly, and she would make sure she hyped Faye up to the younger Winchester. Over the next few hours they swapped stories about their siblings, their question and answer game forgotten. She knew she liked Sam, and she discovered that they shared a bond as younger siblings. Although they each had their share of issues with their older counterparts, they adored them all the same.

The conversation flowed easily and, before they realized the time, Dean was pulling off the interstate just outside Fort Smith, AR. He found a small diner, close to the interstate, for their lunch. Honestly, she was a little nervous to be around him after their earlier shenanigans and her conversation with Sam. As they exited their vehicles, Sam walked ahead to give the other two hunters a little privacy.

“So how’s the ride been with Chatty Cathy?”

“Not bad, actually. I think he’s more excited about getting to the compound than I am. Your little brother has a small crush on my big sister”

Dean laughed out and opened the door for her to enter the small diner, making their way to sam Sam, who was already seated in a booth towards the back. Dean stood to the side to allow her to slide in first. She didn’t miss the cheeky smirk Sam sent her way as his brother took his place next to her. Lunch was fairly quick while the group of hunters decided on the route for the rest of the trip. As Kat snatched up the bill, the boys started to protest but she gave them a hard stare, stating it was the least she could do.

“So Sammy, where ya riddin’?”

“Actually, I was hoping Sam could drive me for a while. Still a little hungover and I wouldn’t mind a nap. Besides, it’s kinda nice to have someone in the car for a change”

It wasn’t long after they pulled back out onto the interstate that Kat fell asleep. Sam on the other hand was taking full advantage of all the modern convenience her luxury SUV provided, especially the sound system. While he loved the Impala, it felt fantastic to drive something made in this century.

The sun was just starting to set as Kat slowly opened her eyes, reacquainting herself with her surroundings. She stretched lazily and tried to discern exactly where they were. Sam seemed to read her mind.

“Good morning, sunshine. Dean called a bit ago, and were just over an hour out. Feel up to driving the rest of the way?”

“Like a million bucks! I’ll text Dean and have him pullover once we cross the river so I can lead the way.”

Sam nodded deftly as she pulled out her phone to clue Dean in. He responded with an affirmative and, once they had crossed the bridge over the Mississippi River, Dean pulled to the shoulder of the highway. Sam pulled ahead of him and climbed out of the SUV, stretching his tense muscles. As Kat made her way to the driver seat, she spotted Dean climbing out of the Impala.

“Take over Sammy, I could use a break seein’ as how I’m the only one that’s driven this whole God awful trip.”

Sam shook his head in the affirmative and hopped in the driver seat. She was mildly surprised when her passenger door opened and Dean climbed in, adjusting the seat. She gave him a curious look as she started the engine and pulled back out onto the highway.

“Can’t believe you're letting Sam drive your baby without supervision.”

Dean barked out a laugh, and she grinned.

“Sammy can handle it. Besides, your’s is a little more comfortable.”

She glanced his way as he reclined his seat, stretching his legs out in front of him.

“Oh you have no idea just how comfortable it can be, Winchester.”

A small smile played over his lips, but he didn't respond. He simply pulled one arm to cradle behind his head as he closed his eyes. The rest of the ride was quiet, but not in an annoying way. It was comfortable. Her music played low in the background as they made their way closer to her home. She was mildly disappointed that it was going to be dark by the time they arrived. She had always loved they way the main drive looked in the setting sun.

The hour passed quickly. Before long, she turned down the familiar gravel road, between towering oak trees. Dean sat up, adjusting himself and rolling his neck. As she approached the front courtyard of the mansion, she couldn't help but giggle as his eyes widened.

“Holy shit. Nice digs…”

“Thanks. Try not to get lost.”

He laughed quietly as she parked in her usual spot, directing Sam to park the Impala next to her. As they were unloading the bags, a shrill voice pierced the silence of the placid Mississippi night. She spun on her heels to catch the small body flying toward her at an almost impossible speed.

“I missed you, Mini Me! Learned any new tricks while I’ve been gone?”

Only as Kat sat her down did Maddie notice the two men with her. She froze, suddenly going silent. She was only able to manage a slight nod of her head as she regarded the brothers in the dim light.

“Maddie, this is Sam and Dean Winchester. Boys, this is my little cousin, Maddie.”

The brothers greeted her, but she still stood in stunned silence. Kat laughed at her discomfort, but continued helping the brothers unload everything, passing a small bag to Maddie to carry in. As they made their way up the front steps, her mother stepped out to greet them, followed closely by Faye and Michael.

“Honey! I’m so glad y’all made it safely. I know y’all must be exhausted, but there are leftovers in the kitchen and the boys rooms are ready. I put them across the hall from you and Faye…”

She hugged her mother tightly as she continued to ramble about the accommodations for the brothers. As Chari pulled away, she regarded Sam with a big smile and a tight hug.

“Good to see you again Sam… And you must be Dean! I’m so glad y’all were able to make it. I just wouldn’t have it any other way after what happened. I’m thrilled that you’re alright!”

Chari attached herself to Dean as soon as she released Sam. He returned the embrace awkwardly and flashed pleading eyes to Kat.

“Sorry, Winchester. I forgot to warn you that my family is a bunch of huggers.”

She laughed as introductions were made to Michael and Faye as they made their way through the front entryway and into the kitchen. Michael and Maddie said their goodnights as the rest of the group sat around the island while Chari pulled leftovers from the massive commercial refrigerator. 

“Hope you boys are hungry. On the menu tonight we have deer steak with mac’n cheese and black eyed peas.”

The boys mouths were practically salivating as Chari warmed their plates. Kat and Faye grabbed a few beers and took their seats at the island as their mother placed the steaming plates in front of them.

“And Dean, Kat mentioned you like pie, so we have a homemade cherry one for desert.”

“You’re too much, Mrs. Ainsworth.”

He flashed her a genuine smile, thrilled to have a home cooked meal. She returned it and patted he and Sam on the shoulders.

“Call me Chari… or mom… which ever really. Although you two boys would make wonderful additions to the family.”

She flashed her eyes towards Kat and Faye. Simultaneously, both girls sputtered and choked on their beer.

“Ok, thats enough mom. I’m sure they are all exhausted and want to crash as soon as they finish eating, so let’s head on to bed. I’m sure Kat can get them settled in.”

Kat flashed her sister a grateful smile as Faye ushered their mother out of the kitchen and off to bed. She huffed out an exasperated sigh as she turned back to finish her meal. Dean gave her a lopsided grin.

“Your mom is something else…”

“Oh yea, she's something alright. I don’t know about y’all, but I’m beat. If y’all wanna crash after dinner, I can show you to your rooms. They are right across from Faye and me if you need anything.”

The brothers nodded in consent as they finished their dinner and helped Kat straighten up the kitchen. After loading the dishwasher, she escorted the boys up to the third floor and down the long hallway to their rooms. The rooms were fairly large and connected by a jack and jill bath, similar to the one she shared with Faye. Queen sized beds sat centered under the windows of each room, overlooking the back of the property. A chest of draws sat opposite each bed with spare pillows and blankets placed on top.

“Well, here ya go. Sheets are clean and the bathroom is stocked. If you need anything, let us know… Thanks again for coming guys. I’ll give you the grand tour tomorrow.”

Sam thanked her, leaning in for a small hug and shut his door, leaving Kat and Dean standing in the hall.

“Some place…”

“Yea, it’s been in the family for generations. There are a few spots I’ll point out on the tour that I think you’ll like.”

“Lookin’ forward to it. You headin’ to bed?”

“Yea, I’m beat. Besides, everyone gets moving pretty early around here. Breakfast is at seven. Ya’ll will meet everyone that’s here then”

“Are they all huggers like your mom?”

“Nah… at least, not as bad.”

He nodded, resigned to meeting the entire clan of hunters. He laughed lightly as she grinned, telling him goodnight. He stepped closer to her, pulling one hand into his and up to drape over his shoulder. His other hand curved around her waist. 

He hesitated a moment, gauging her reaction. As soon as he felt her free hand rest lightly on his chest, he closed the distance between them. His lips were soft and full beneath hers. It built slowly as he caressed her, deepening the kiss. She pulled his lower lip between her teeth, flicking her tongue across the sensitive flesh and dragging her teeth across it as she pulled away. His soft groan vibrated through her body as she struggled for control. As he released her from his hold, she placed a gentle peck on his jaw.

“Night.”

“Goodnight, Dean. I’ll wake y’all up for breakfast.”

He nodded as he watched her cross the hall and close her bedroom door. He smiled to himself as he climbed in bed.


	7. House of the Rising Sun

7: House of the Rising Sun - The Animals

The sun was just peaking through her window when she felt the presence of someone else in the room. She cracked her eyes against the early morning light, hand automatically gripping the sliver knife hidden beneath her pillow.

“Easy, KK… it’s just me.”

She relaxed at the familiar nickname and turned in her sheets to make room for her big sister to climb in. This had a been a normal occurrence since they were kids. Who ever was the first one awake climbed into bed with the other before they started their day.

“What time is it?”

“A little before six…”

Kat groaned in frustration as she stretched her stiff muscles as Faye climbed in bed next to her. Long drives always took a lot out of her, but she would admit that she slept pretty well. She rolled in the giant bed again to face her sister, who was currently scrolling through her phone. No doubt looking for her next case.

“So… whadday think about Sammy?”

A heavy blush spread over Faye’s cheeks as she placed her phone on her chest. She knew her little sister well enough to know that she was planning on playing match-maker during the brother’s stay. Of course, she had plans of her own for Kat and Dean. She put on her best glare and turned her head towards Kat.

“I can’t really say. It’s not like I’ve spent more than five minutes with him.”

“But do you think he's cute?”

She wasn’t going to let Faye’s faux sour attitude slow her down. She knew the moment her sister laid eyes on Sam that she was smitten. And while Faye liked her boys a little younger, Sam certainly had a baby face to go with his massive frame. For her part, Faye dropped her feigned irritation and laughed quietly.

“Yes, Kat. He’s very cute. What’s going on with you and Dean?”

Kat expelled an exasperated huff of breath. She knew there was no point in hiding anything from her sister. It was all bound to come out eventually, especially with the boys in such close proximity, so she caved and told Faye everything that had happened in the last 48 hours. By the time she finished, Faye was perched on her knees, towering over Kat, and bouncing slightly. In her best sing-song voice, she continued to tease her younger sister.

“Kat and De-an sittin’ inna tree! K-I-S-S…”

Before Faye had time to finish, Kat jerked forward, slamming a pillow into her face. Her momentum sent both girls toppling over the edge of the bed and crashing to the floor in a tangle of limbs and a squealing fit of giggles.

“God, Faye! Sometimes, I swear you're thirteen and not thirty-two!”

Before they had time to collect themselves, her bedroom door swung open. The brothers towered in the door frame, guns in hand, staring down at the two girls knotted together on the floor, laughing hysterically. The boys relaxed their stances, reaching down to help the giggling girls off the floor.

“Whatever y’all are doing… can I join?”

Dean’s salacious tone and waggling eyebrows sent the girls into yet another fit of laughter, leaning against each other for support. Kat smacked his arm playfully as she got herself under control.

“In your dream, Winchester. Now, if y’all will excuse us, Faye and I are going to get dressed. We’ll come get you two for breakfast shortly… unless you wanna head on down and fend for yourselves.”

At the barely concealed looks of horror that flashed across the boys faces, the girls ushered them out of Kat’s room so they could dress for the day. Once they were alone, the sister quickly fell into their typical morning routine. 

While one showered, the other washed her face and brushed her teeth. Once they were done in the bathroom, they returned to their rooms to dress. Kat donned an over-size tee-shirt with a pair of running shorts and Converse before making her way to Faye’s room. She couldn't hold back the chuckle that spilled out when she saw that her sister was dressed in a similar fashion.

“Great minds think alike, I guess.”

“Good lord, Kat! Come’er and let me do something to your hair. Why do you always insist on traipsing around with it wet anyway?”

“Awe come on! It’s just going to get dirty again anyway…”

Reluctantly, Kat sat at the foot of her sisters bed as instructed as Faye fussed about how she should at least try to look presentable. She rolled her eyes as her sister began drying her long hair, her natural waves disappearing.

“Ya know I’m just gonna pull it up or put on a hat right? It’s too hot for all this shit!”

“Well then cut it off. I swear there’s no hope for you!”

“Never! And, I’ll have you know I curled my hair and put on makeup a few nights ago!”

Kat stuck her tongue out as Faye stared at her in disbelief. There’s no way in hell her tomboy little sister actually fixed herself up for a night out. She decided to heckle Kat a bit more as she finished drying her hair.

“Proof or it didn’t happen.”

“Oh… I’ve got your proof bitch…”

As Kat muttered profanities, she grabbed her phone and pulled up one of the shots she had taken of herself and the Winchesters on their night out. She held the phone up for Faye to inspect the photo.

“Well by damn… I don’t believe it. You must really like him, huh.”

Kat hesitated, blushing furiously. She replayed the night through her mind for what felt like the millionth time. She couldn’t deny it. She was obviously attracted to Dean, but was it more? Do I want more? Could it even be more? She didn’t trust her voice to respond, so she opted for nodding her head, her hair hanging to cover her face as Faye worked. What she failed to notice was that Faye hadn’t returned her phone and was scrolling through the rest of the pictures.

“Well if I’m judging by this, I’d say the feeling might be mutual.”

Confused, Kat lifted her head and turned to see what Faye was talking about. She flushed beet red as she glimpsed the picture she was referring to. It was one that Sam had snapped after her little performance. She was tucked tightly against Dean’s side, one hand obviously in his lap while the other gripped the hand that was resting against her shoulder. She was facing Sam with a smile plastered on her face, but her head was leaning against Dean’s. His grinning lips were presses firmly between her jaw and ear, and his free hand disappeared under the table, somewhere in the vicinity of hers. It was certainly her favorite photo of the night, but she was a bit embarrassed that her sister had found it.

“Don’t read too much in to it. We were plastered.”

Faye simply nodded, deciding to let it go for now. She finished drying Kat’s hair, brushing the now straight strands into place. The girls emerged from Faye’s room, going across the hall to retrieve the brothers. 

Dean’s door was open. He was sitting on the end of his bed while Sam leaned against the wall. They greeted each other and made their way downstairs, the smells from the kitchen catching their attention as the came down the last flight of steps.

Upon entering the massive kitchen, the brothers noticed Chari first as she pulled a large pan of   
biscuits out of the oven. On the other end of the island, a group of little old ladies bustled about making coffee and placing miscellaneous jars on the counter with the rest of the food. It was Faye that alerted everyone to their presence.

“Mornin’ y’all.”

All four of the women turned their attention to the group of young hunters. Kat was grateful that they would apparently be introducing the boys in small groups. Probably best not to overwhelm them with the entire clan all at once.

Chari made a fuss of ushering the boys in and having them sit at the island. Once they were settled, Kat began the introductions.

“Grandmother, Gran, Mimi… this is Sam and Dean Winchester. Boys, this is our father’s mother, Francis, our mom’s mother, June, and Mimi is Michale and Maddi’s grandmother.”

As they boys greeted them, the posse of little old ladies, in true grandmotherly fashion, fixed them heaping plates of bacon, eggs, sausage, grits, and biscuits. They insisted that they boys get the first helpings before everyone else came downstairs. Faye and Kat laughed and escorted the boys the massive dinning room before returning to make their own plates. They were taking their seats on either side of the brothers when more voices began to echo from the kitchen.

Michael and Maddie filed into the dinning room, plates in hand, followed by Ray. Sam and Dean stood and introduced themselves. They might not have learned much in the way of manners from their father, but he taught them respect. Ray took his usual spot at the head of the table while Michael and Maddie sat next to Kat. Chari and the grandmothers popped in next with Carla, Michael and Maddie’s mother. Ray announced that everyone else was away, finishing up their own hunts.

The conversation at breakfast was relatively pleasant. Ray questioned the boys about some of their more recent adventures, namely killing a Knight of Hell and battling a neurotic angel. Michael was wrapped in the stories that the brothers told while Maddie watched them quietly. The grandmothers fussed over whether or not the boys were taking care of themselves properly while the rest merely observed.

By the time breakfast was finished, Ray had retired to the study, requesting the boys presence after they had received the grand tour. Michael and Maddie were ushered off for their morning lessons while the women retreated to the kitchen to clean up. Kat and Faye escorted Sam and Dean out the backdoor.

The group made their way toward the large metal building a several yards from the house. Kat punched in a code on the keypad and the overhead door slowly rolled open. Inside were several pieces of farm equipment, a few dirt-bikes, and several four-wheelers. Dean was like a kid in a candy store.

“Awe man, Sammy! We haven’t been on one of these since we were kids!”

The rest of the group laughed at his excitement. Leave it to Dean to get a buzz about something that has a motor. Faye opened a door to the right of the entrance and packed a cooler full of beer that Sam helped her mount to the rack of her four-wheeler. Kat turned back to the door Faye had just exited and packed a case of assorted firearms and ammo, then approached Dean from behind as Faye lead Sam toward her ATV.

“Easy big boy. We’ve got all day. Gonna start with the range then make our way back.”

“Sounds good.”

Dean swung a leg over the four-wheeler she directed him to and sat toward the front, making room for her to sit behind him. She strapped the case to the back rack of the ATV and grinned as he extended a hand to help her on. He’s not gonna like this one bit.

“Sorry, Winchester. I’m afraid you’re gonna have to ride bitch.”

“Awe come on, Kat… Really?”

Sam chose that moment to chime in, already sitting behind Faye on the ATV next to them. His long legs hung to either side of her, one hand resting lightly on her thigh. A barely noticeable blush was spread across her cheeks.

“Don’t be such a baby, Dean.”

Dean huffed, but slid back on the seat. He extended his hand to her again as she climbed on. She settled on to the seat and started the engine. He slid closer to her, pressing his chest against her back. Grinning over her shoulder at him, she pulled her hair into a loose braid and revved the engine. They pulled out of the shop first, followed closely by Sam and Faye.

Kat gunned it across the field, loving the feeling of the wind in her face during the hot July morning. Dean held her waist with one arm as he pumped his other fist in the air as Sam and Faye pulled up along side them. They made their way through an open gate, toward the back of the property. The well-worn trail flew passed them in a blur.

Kat signaled to Faye something up ahead that the boys didn’t understand. Faye slowed down as Kat sped up. She held the handle bars in a white knuckle grip as she approached her target and called over her shoulder to Dean.

“Might wanna hang on tight.”

That was all the warning he had. He secured both arms around her waist, holding her to him like a vice, then they were in the air. It was a small ramp the girls had built the summer before. And while they were no more than four or five feet off the ground, the impact jarred both of them. Dean whooped loudly in her ear as they turned just in time to watch Sam and Faye hit the same jump.

The group laughed as Kat and Faye raced their four-wheelers through the field toward the shooting range. As they topped the next hill, the range building and targets came into view. The covered shooting tables faced the targets that were spaced out up to 200 yards. 

They parked the four-wheelers close to the pavilion and Dean unloaded the case Kat had strapped to the back rack and Sam grabbed the cooler. They sat-up their stations and made a little competition to see who was the better marksmen. They boys were definitely impressed. Kat and Faye obviously knew what they were doing. After a few beers and a while at the range, they packed everything back up to head back to the house.

“Hey Kat… it’s hot as hell! How do ya feel about a little swim?”

Faye was always full of good ideas. She agreed as they cranked the ATVs and headed back towards the house, opposite from the side where they had come in. It didn’t take them long to reach the enormous pond, hidden in a grove of towering pine trees. They stopped close to the dock and climbed off the four-wheelers.

The girls kicked off their shoes and made their way to the dock, pulling their shirts over their heads. The boys stood shell-shocked for a moment. It was Faye who yelled back at them.

“Well come on boys! Don’t tell us you're embarrassed for us to see you in your skivvies…”

With a shrug and a nod toward each other, Sam and Dean followed the girls lead. As they approached them on the dock, they had already discarded their shirts and were pulling their running shorts down their thighs. Both were wearing only their sports bras and compression shorts and while it wasn’t meant to be a sexy ensemble, the brothers couldn't help but pause and check them out.

Snapping out of their trance, Sam and Dean quickly rid themselves of their t-shirts, boots and jeans. It was the girls turn to hide their blushes from the boxer clad brothers. Kat and Faye grabbed each others hands and leapt into the chilly water. Kat was the first to surface.

“Come on in boys… the water is fine.”

Dean didn’t have to be told twice. Getting as much of a running start as possible, he barreled off the end of the dock, performing a rather impressive cannon ball. Sam followed, jumping in with a dramatic splash as well.


	8. Fortunate Son

8: Fortunate Son - Creedence Clearwater Revival

The group of hunters played like children in the water. While none of them would admit just how much they enjoyed it, they were all grateful for a break from the life of hunting something that could kill you. A game of chicken was played in the more shallow part of the pond. Sam and Faye came away victorious, only after Dean slipped, dropping Kat, following a particularly nasty, and well-timed, shove from their opponents.

After a while of swimming and splashing, they tired themselves out. Making their way back to the dock, the girls climbed up the ladder and the boys followed. Sam unloaded the cooler as the girls spread themselves out in the grass for their clothes to dry. The boys passed out a few beers and settled themselves down next to the girls. 

Kat sat up, reaching for the tie in her hair to take down her braid. She untwisted the strands, combing her fingers through in hopes that it would dry faster. She stole a glance at Faye and Sam while she worked. They really are cute together.

Faye was lying on her back in the grass while Sam was lounging on his side to her left. They were talking and laughing quietly and Kat was convinced that she would have Sam for a brother-in-law sooner or later. In all their years, Kat had never seen Faye take to a boy as quickly as she did to Sam. Sure they both had their flings, but nothing ever stuck.

She was pulled from her musings at the feeling of Dean’s fingertips grazing the back of her arm. Turning to face him with a smile, she nodded her head in the direction of their siblings. The corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled at them. He seemed to hesitate a moment before shifting closer to her, motioning for her to lean back agains him. He began the task of combing through her hair as he spoke quietly to her.

“Sammy and Faye seem to be getting along well.”

“I’m glad. I’ve never seen her like this… she deserves it.”

“So does Sam. He hasn't exactly had the best luck with women.”

She nodded as she relaxed against him, sipping her beer. The warm skin of his bare chest pressed against her back as he carded his fingers through her hair. As they relaxed in the sun, they laughed and shared stories about growing up and different situations they had gotten themselves into over the years. 

The opening chords of House of the Rising Sun ended the moment for the group. Her mother was calling, letting them know it was time for lunch. Thankfully dry, for the most part, the group redressed and packed up the cooler before hoping on the four-wheelers to head to the house. They took their time getting back. No-one was ready for the morning to end just yet, but as they pulled back up to the shop to park the four-wheelers, a figure approached them from the house.

“There’s my girls!”

“Daddy!”

The girls hopped of the ATVs and darted toward their father. Kat made it first, wrapping him in a tight hug. It had been so long since she had seen him. The last time she was home, he was gone on a hunt, so it had been at least two months. Faye embraced him as soon as Kat let go. He kissed both girls on their foreheads and turned his attention to the boys.

Sam and Dean stepped forward to greet the older man. Kat and Faye were the perfect mix of both of their parents. Kat had her mother’s fair complexion and blonde hair, and her fathers dark eyes. Faye on the other hand had his dark complexion and hair with their mother’s green eyes. Kat was the first to excitedly speak up.

“Daddy, this is Sam and Dean Winchester. Guys, this is William, our father.”

“Nice to meet you boys.”

The brothers shook hands with the girls father. He reminded them of their own father in many ways. He had a weathered look that spoke to the life he lived as a hunter, but there was something else. A warmth that they rarely saw in John.

“You girls go ahead and lock up the shop. I’ll take Sam and Dean in to fix a plate before everything’s been picked over.”

The girls followed their father’s instructions while the boys walked with him back to the house. Once they were alone in the shop, Kat elbowed Faye and wagged her eyebrows.

“So Faye… what do you think of Sam now?”

Faye looked like a tomato as she grinned back at Kat. She knew there was no point in lying about it. Kat had obviously seen how they interacted together back at the pond. She certainly hadn’t missed the way her sister had snuggled into Dean’s chest as he played with her hair.

“I’ll admit it. I'm interested in him. There’s just something about him that I’m drawn to, ya know? And don't think for a second that I missed you and your snuggle buddy.”

The girls laughed and quickly finished putting everything back in it’s place. They made their way to the house, giggling and discussing their developing crushes on the brothers. Once they made it to the back door of the kitchen, they collected themselves and made their way inside to fix their plates.

Lunch was a boisterous affair. Their uncle Rick had returned with their father, and he was busy entertaining the family and their guests. His wife would be back later that night from a wendigo hunt in Utah. As everyone finished, Ray requested that Sam and Dean join himself, Rick and William in the study. Kat and Faye were planning on helping with some of the chores around the house, but their father stopped them, requesting that they come along.

In the library, Ray took his spot at his desk while Rick and William sat at the research table across from him. The group young hunters took their seats on the oversized leather couch facing the older men. Once everyone was settled, Ray spoke.

“It’s been brought to my attention that you two have made a home in the Men of Letters bunker in Lebanon. Is that correct?”

“Yes, sir. We’re legacies.”

Sam resisted the urge to roll his eyes at his brother’s answer. He decided he would let Dean do most of the talking for this meeting, not really sure of what all this family of hunters knew about them. Ray clapped his hands together in an exaggerated fashion.

“Wonderful! I knew some of the Men back in the fifties before they were exterminated. It would be a great value to the hunting community to have them back in action. As you can see, we have a great deal of information at our disposal, which I’m sure you do as well. We would like to invite you boys to stay here for a while to gather information that you may need in the future. All that we would ask is that, once you arrive back in Lebanon, you send us as much information from your collection as possible.”

Dean seemed to think about Ray’s offer for a moment. More information was always good for a hunter and getting the Men of Letters running again would be something he would be interested in. He also was not opposed to staying here and getting to know this family and how they worked. But on the other hand, he had never stayed in one place very long. He wasn’t sure how he felt about being tied down here.

“Well sir, we appreciate the offer. All of this is a lot to take in… Could ya give us some time to discuss it?

Ray nodded happily. To have the information from the Men of Letters would be a tremendous help when researching. As much as their family was hunters, they were also collectors of all things supernatural. They did everything they could to educate themselves and the hunters they associated with.

With the mildly uncomfortable meeting over, Kat and Faye escorted the boys out of the library and into the main foyer of the house for the grand tour. Dean could easily see why Kat had joked that he try not to get lost. It was massive.

On the first floor, off the main entry was the library to the right. Directly in front of them was the massive staircase and landing that lead to the rest of the house. To the left was the main entrance to the dining room and kitchen. 

Making their way past the stair case, they found themselves in a large living area. There were a couple of couches, similar to the one in the library arranged in front of a large fireplace. There was a smaller sitting area to the back right of the room, with large windows facing the back garden, and the pool table off to the left. 

Across from the sitting area and pool table was a long bar with dark wooden stools. Behind the bar was a paneled wall that, when Kat pressed on the correct panel, opened into a theater room. There were massive recliners, big enough for two, arranged around the large room. Needless to say, the boys were in awe.

After exiting the theater, the girls lead them up to the second floor, which held the suites the family used while they were home. On that floor were the rooms for the grandparents as well as their aunt and uncle, Carla and Ray, and Maddie and Michael. On the third floor, Chari and William were on one end of the hall while their other aunt and uncle, Rick and Alice, were on the other. The girls rooms and the two guest rooms were located in the center.

The fourth floor was reserved for Rick and Alice’s daughters families. On one end of the hall was Diane and Blake’s room. On the opposite end was Melissa and Steve’s room. Their daughters, Mary and Anna shared a room on the right side of the hall.

“Wow. Y’all better cut out the reproduction before you outgrow the house.”

The girls laughed at Dean’s joke as they came back down to the first floor. They knew the family was enormous and the house was just as ridiculous. They could only imagine that it was a lot to take in for an outsider, especially considering how the brothers lived.

“That’s the idea, Dean. We don’t all live here full time, and we don’t all plan on staying here forever. Think of it more as a private hotel. We always have a bed if we need it.”

“Agreed. Looks guys, don’t let it overwhelm you. No one’s going to get mad if you can’t remember everyone’s names. Hell, we don’t even call each other by the right name half the time. Now, we have a few hours to kill before Michael and Maddie are released from their lessons for the day. Any request on what to do?”

Faye tried her best to help the guys relax about staying with them for a few days. There was no point in them getting nervous about remembering everyone or where everything is. Sam took the opportunity to speak up.

“Not gonna lie… it’s a bit much to take in. But, for now, what I wouldn’t mind checking out is that theater. Got any good movies?”

Kat and Faye beamed at the younger Winchester’s suggestion. They excitedly lead Sam and Dean back toward the theater, shutting the large door behind them. Sam made his way to one recliner toward the right on the front while Dean selected one on the second row toward the center. The girls bustled about, selecting a movie. Once the projector was turned on, Kat grabbed the master remote, and the girls headed towards their seats.

Kat paused a moment to watch as Faye approached Sam. He reached for her as she slid into the recliner next to him. To her disappointment, they didn’t exactly snuggle up, but Sam’s arm was resting around her shoulders. She smiled to herself. It was nice to see her sister so comfortable with someone.

Shaking her head, she turned toward Dean. He was focused on Sam and Faye as she approached him. To get his attention, she tapped her finger tips on his left arm, resting on the side of the recliner. He regarded her with a grin and nodded his head toward the couple on the front row.

“Yea, I noticed… Is this seat taken?”

He shook his head and slid over to make room for her. Once she was seated next to him, she dimmed the lights and pressed play. The girls had selected one of their favorite thrillers, ‘It Follows’. She wasn’t sure that the guys would enjoy it as much as they did, but she had a feeling they might. 

As the films opening scene began, Dean tightened the arm that was draped over her shoulders, motioning for her to move closer. As she adjusted herself to nestle into his side, she peaked up at him to make sure he was comfortable. With his free hand, he gently gripped her chin to bring her lips to his. At first the kiss was soft, almost chaste. His lips parted as he grazed his tongue across her bottom lip, pulling it between his own. He pulled away sooner than she would have liked, but he smiled and kissed the top of her head while turning his attention back to the screen. She curled back into his side, resting her head on his chest to continue watching the move.


	9. You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid

9: You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid - The Offspring

It was approaching five o’clock as the group emerged from the home theater. Laughter and heavy banter filled the main living room as they discussed the film. Sam and Dean were in agreement that the ‘creature’ was some sort of shifter, saying that they would have ganked him easily.

“Guys, it was supposed to be something fun to watch, not something for your badass hunter brains to analyze to death!”

Kat rolled her eyes, agreeing with her sister. Maybe that hadn’t been the best film choice, after all. With a little time to kill before dinner, Kat and Faye situated themselves on one of the couches while the boys took their places at the pool table. The sisters shared a look, knowing that sooner or later they would have to approach the boys about Ray’s offer. After a silent battle of wills, Faye spoke up.

“Guys, I know you haven’t really had time to think about our grandfather’s offer, but you should be prepared for it to come up at dinner.”

Dean chalked his cue, eyeing his first shot, while Sam regarded her from across the table.

“Yea, I figured as much… Whadday say, Sammy? Feel like expanding your nerd collection?”

Dean sunk his shot as Sam rolled his eyes. Dean lined up for the next shot, but it only served to break apart a cluster of balls that were in his way.

“Sure, more information is always a good thing, but what about hunting? I’m sure I can speak for Dean when I say neither of us want to be on library lock-down for an undetermined length of time.”

“You got that right, Sammy. I wanna get the information we need, but I don’t wanna be just sitting around.”

The brothers were evenly matched on the table, shots going back and fourth with no-one taking a solid lead. The girls whisper to each other as they watched. It was Kat who addressed them with a possible solution.

“I get it. We both prefer action over research any day. I don’t see why you wouldn’t be able to go on a hunt when something comes up. In fact, I’m sure Mom and Alice would love to have Dad and Rick home some.”

The boys seemed to consider it as their game came to a close. Dean had gained a small lead over Sam, with only one stripe left on the table compared to Sam’s three solids. Dean sunk his final ball, lining up to take the winning shot. 

Just as he pulled his cue back to strike, Michael and Maddie made their way into the living room, arguing loudly over who had done better on the obstacle course. While Michael may have age and size to his advantage, books were more his speed. Maddie on the other hand was quick and athletic. They both knew that she had beaten him fair and square, but he wouldn’t admit it.

“Son of a bitch!”

Dean missed the shot, the cue ball going wide right of the eight ball that was perched on the edge of the corner pocket. He glared at the new comers as Sam got ready to take his turn.

“As long as we can get out a little, I don’t see a problem.”

The girls nodded, a little excited that the Winchesters would be staying for a while. Maddie had taken a seat between her cousins as Michale made his way to the brothers to watch the end of their game.

“Don’t see a problem with what? And I’ve got the winner.”

Sam and Dean agreed. There is no such thing as too young to learn to hustle. With one ball left on the table, Sam missed his shot, giving Dean one last opportunity at victory.

“Sam and Dean are going to be staying a few days to gather some information to take home with them.”

Kat responded for the boys while she braided Maddie’s long, ash brown hair. She knew Michael would be excited, but she hadn’t quite figured out Maddie’s reaction to the brothers. She was so quite when they were around, which was not like her at all.

“That’s awesome! Maybe y’all can give me a few pointers, if you have time.”

This time, Dean sunk the eight ball, pumping his fist in the air. Sam simply rolled his eyes and handed Dean the twenty he owed him. Gathering the the balls, Michael racked them to prepare for the next game.

“No problem. We will set something up. But first, a lesson in pool… You ready, kid?”

Michael nodded with a grin as he took Sam’s cue. Dean broke while Sam perched on a stool in the corner. The boys talked amongst themselves as the game continued. Faye and Kat, however, were watching Maddie closely.

“Hey, Mini Me… What do you think of Sam and Dean? You’re always so quiet around them.”

Maddie blushed as she glanced between her cousins and the boys playing pool. She shrugged her shoulders, refusing to make eye contact with either of the older girls. Kat finished braiding her hair, adjusting herself so she could see Maddie’s face. Faye watched her cousin suspiciously before speaking.

“Kat… I believe Maddie here has a little crush on our guests.”

Maddie stared a hole into the floor, doing her best impression of a tomato, but didn’t deny her oldest cousin’s allegations. Kat stifled a laugh at her discomfort.

“Is that it M? I mean we get it… they’re pretty cute. I’m sure we both had similar reactions to meeting them.”

Kat spoke quietly, not wanting the boys to overhear. Surprised that the older girls were admitting to being affected by the brothers, Maddie gawked up at her. Sensing where the conversation was going, Faye took the opportunity to move them somewhere a little more quiet.

“We’re heading outside for a bit… let us know when dinner is ready.”

A chorus of acknowledging grunts was the only response they received as they exited through the back doors of the den. Once out on the patio, Faye and Maddie sat in the swing while Kat perched in one of the rocking chairs across from them. With their new found privacy, Kat and Faye gave Maddie a rundown on their first meetings with the brothers. As they spoke, Maddie became more comfortable, promising her cousins that she would try to open up around the brothers.

It wasn’t long before the three males joined them on the patio. Michael trailed behind an amused Sam and a triumphant Dean. It was obvious that the game had not gone in Michael’s favor. They situated themselves in the remaining chairs as Michael spoke, letting the girls know that dinner would be ready shortly. Kat took the initiative to confirm her suspicions regarding Michael’s loss to the eldest Winchester.

“So how was the game, boys?”

Dean flashed her a bright smile while Michael hung his head with a scoff. She hadn’t really meant to rub it in, but she couldn’t help herself. Dean’s answer surprised her.

“Kid’s got some skills. With a little work, he’ll be able to hustle just about anyone. If you’re as good of a hunter as you are at pool, you’ll go far in this life.”

Although he tried to hide it, Michael was obviously pleased with the praise from the eldest brother. Being the only boy, he rarely had the opportunity to associate with other males outside the family. Before he could respond, William emerged from the door off the dining room to summon the group for dinner.

With the majority of the large family under one roof, dinner was a boisterous gathering. As expected, Ray jumped right in, questioning the brothers on whether or not they had considered his offer. Dean responded on their behalf, letting everyone know exactly what their intentions were for their stay. Once business discussions were taken care of, Rick and Ray Jr. entertained everyone with old hunting stories and jokes. 

Kat snuck a few glances at Dean, seated to her left, throughout dinner. He and Sam were both laughing and carrying on with her family, like they belonged there. It sent a pang of guilt to her heart, knowing how their family had ended up. While it was none of her business, she assumed that they never had any moments like this. She could only hope that, eventually, they would come to see this family as their own.

Towards the end of dinner, while she was sneaking a peak at him telling a story, Dean managed to catch her glance. He flashed her a soft smile as he spoke. The hand that had been resting on his thigh crept toward her, landing on her own and giving a light squeeze before assuming its former resting place. She smiled in return, trying not to let on what had happened.

All too soon, everyone was finished eating and returning their dishes to the kitchen before going about their business for the night. Kat and Faye took their place in the kitchen to assist with dish duty. Once they were done, they found the brothers speaking quietly to one another in the dinning room. The boys turned, smirking at them as they entered. 

Sam approached Faye, leading her only God knows where, leaving Kat and Dean alone. Dean took her hand, ushering her through the door to the patio. Once outside, she lead him towards the far corner of the backyard to one of her favorite spots next to the pool. On the far side of the pool area stood the small pool house. 

She walked inside, grabbing a couple of beers from the fridge before returning to Dean. She found him reclining on the large bed swing as she approached. He took the beer she offered and grasped her hand to guide her to sit next to him. She nestled close to his side, his arm draping casually over her shoulder as they sipped their beers in comfortable silence.

“Thanks again for coming, Dean. Everyone really likes you and Sam.”

“No problem. Honestly, we were kinda curious about how all this worked.”

She laughed lightly at him, knowing that the way they did things seemed a bit strange to traditional hunters. Not to mention that, once all together, the family could be a bit overwhelming. She gazed at him, sitting up a little in his embrace. She leaned across him, setting her empty beer on the ground next to his previously discarded bottle. As she attempted to return to her previous position, he reached his hand up, cupping her face gently.

She grinned at him, leaning down and pressing her lips to his in a quick kiss. As she pulled away, he smirked at her. Before she could fully process what was happening, he pulled her face to his, crashing their lips together.

The kiss started slowly, but the fire burning between them was all consuming. He pulled her closer as he rolled to his side, all but wrapping himself around her. She was completely consumed by him. His scent invaded her nose, his taste overwhelmed her, and his hands seemed to be everywhere all at once.

Her hands moved from gripping his firm biceps to clutching his head, deepening the kiss. He groaned his approval into her mouth, sending a small shockwave to her core. One hand trailed down her back, gripping her ass as the other held her shoulders tightly agains his chest. In a quick move, he rolled himself atop her. 

One of her legs hiked over his hip, while his knee pressed tightly between her thighs. She arched against him at the friction the swift movement created. As the kisses continued, he wound one hand into her long hair, the other trailing down her side to push under the hem of her shirt, seeking warm skin.

She couldn’t help herself, like she was under some sort of spell. Her hands slid down from their place in his hair, fingertips trailing lightly along his jaw and down his throat. He pulled his lips away from hers, only to place open mouth kisses along her jaw, moving to her ear. As he nibbled on the soft lobe, her fingers continued their trail south, ghosting over his chest. Reaching the tail of his t-shirt, she tugged it up and over his head, craving more of his flesh.

Resuming his conquest of her mouth, he grinned into the kiss as she ran her hands appreciatively over his bare chest. He gripped her thighs, pulling both legs around his waist as he ground himself into her. She mewled in delight at the new sensation, digging her fingertips into his biceps.

Rocking backwards, he pulled her up to sit in his lap. She ground herself down on his rapidly growing erection as he pulled her shirt over her head. His kisses trailed from her mouth, down her throat, to her collarbone where he nipped her lightly. Her small, breathy laugh was music to his ears.

He returned to her mouth, unable to stray long. The kiss became languid and primal as their hips rolled together. His hands gripped her tightly, guiding her, as her fingers grasped his shoulders. Her soft whimpers a gentle contrast to his distinct grunts. They were completely lost in each other, so much so that the two trained hunters failed to notice their company.

“Whoa… way more than I needed to see, sis! Pull it together, we have a job.”

Startled, Kat and Dean snatched away from each other’s lips. She flushed deeply, ready to throttle her sister for interrupting them. And, judging by the way Dean clutched her waist, refusing to let her go, he was just as agitated as she was. Hoping to placate him with the promise of continuing, she placed a light kiss to his jaw as she slipped out of his embrace. She regarded Faye with a heated glare, pulling her discarded shirt back over her head before she spoke.

“Great timing, Faye… this better be fucking important.”

Faye rolled her eyes at her sister. She knew Kat was going to rip her a new asshole once they were alone, but the job was the job. She explained that they would be rolling out the following morning for your standard salt and burn in Alpharetta, GA. Muttering an apology for interrupting the couple, Faye bid them goodnight before disappearing into the dark.

Dean sighed heavily as he turned back to Kat, pulling her into his arms. She laid her head on his chest, soaking up his warmth despite the muggy July air. He kissed the top of her head, his lips lingering for a moment, before he spoke.

“Guess we’ll have to raincheck for the rest of the show.”

She grinned at the obvious disappointment in his voice, pressing her lips firmly to his still bare chest. If she didn’t have to get a move on early, she felt as though she could stay right there, next to him, all night. Sitting up, she grabbed his hand pulling her with him. He tugged his shirt back on as they made their way inside.

Once they reached the third floor, he stood outside her door before telling her goodnight. He pulled her back into his arms, and she melted against him. Tilting her head, she placed a light kiss agains his throat. He was moving to take her lips in his once more before the look in her eyes stopped him, her teeth worrying her bottom lip.

“What is it?”

“I understand if you don’t want to, but I was wondering if you would like to stay with me tonight… no funny business though.”

He smiled softly at her as he opened her door. Placing a soft kiss on her lips, he promised to return after he showered and changed. She beamed at him as he made his way across the hall. She went straight to her bathroom for a quick shower as well.

Once she emerged from the bath, she pulled her wet hair into a braid and dressed in a loose tank-top and boy shorts before climbing in bed to wait on Dean. A few minutes later, there was a soft knock on her door, followed by it cracking open to reveal him. She suppressed her smile as she took in his appearance. He was dressed in a t-shirt and sweat pants while his hair, still damp from his shower, was sticking up in every direction. She pulled back the covers, motioning for him to climb into bed with her. Before he could, she gave him a disapproving look that made him pause.

“What?”

“You’re overdressed, Winchester.”

She pulled the covers back further to reveal her ensemble, and he couldn’t help but grin at her antics. Shaking his head, he removed the shirt and pants, leaving him in only his boxers. She grinned, nodding her approval, finally letting him climb in next to her. As he situated himself, she reached toward her nightstand to turn off the lamp.

As she began to settle in, he tugged her to him, pulling her to lie on his chest. She propped herself up, barely able to make out his features in the dark. Leaning into him, she pressed her lips to his once more, running her tongue along his lower lip. He opened to her, deepening the kiss as their tongues explored each other. 

As her hands again made their way to his hair, she climbed to straddle his waist. He gripped her hips tightly. On instinct, she ground herself agains him, ripping a groan from his throat. His hands grasped her tighter, forcing her to stop with a scolding nip to her bottom lip.

“Baby, if you keep that up, you’ll start something we can’t finish tonight. Besides, I’ve already had to take care of one problem as it is.”

She laughed out at that. She was immensely grateful that he couldn’t see the heated blush that covered her face at the thought of Dean Winchester getting himself off in the shower. She placed another kiss to his lips before sliding from her perch over him.

“Ok, big boy. You win.”

He smiled to himself as she rolled to her side, her back facing him. He snuggled himself against her, pulling one arm tightly around her waist, the other snaking its way under her pillow. She pressed back into him, gripping the hand that was wrapped around her. He placed a soft kiss against her bare shoulder. In return, she brushed her lips across the knuckles of the hand that she clutched to her breasts.

“Goodnight, Dean.”

“Night.”

She heard his contented sigh as he let himself relax. She couldn’t help but wonder when the last time he had been able to let his guard down. She melted into his warmth, glad that he had agreed to stay with her. She was not looking forward to leaving him the next morning. With one final squeeze to his hand, which he returned, she allowed herself to drift off to sleep in his arms.


	10. Midnight Rider

10: Midnight Rider - The Allman Brothers Band

The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon when her alarm yanked her from sleep. Before she could reach her phone to silence the annoyance, the room went quiet. With a grateful sigh, she sunk deeper in the warmth of her bed, planning on returning to her hibernation. Before she could doze off again, she felt the hand resting on her back flex. Her eyes shot open, mildly disoriented.

As her brain functions began to return, she realized that the warm pillow she was laying on was, in reality, a bare chest. Her left arm was slung haphazardly across the chest, strong fingers tangled with her own. Her right hand clasped the back of a neck. The hand that had originally startled her awake was now tracing meaningless patterns on her exposed skin. She lifted her head from it’s resting place to peer up at her bedmate. Sleepy, emerald green eyes stared back at her, a crooked smile playing across his lips.

“Morning, sleeping beauty.”

Grinning, she buried her face back into the warmth of his chest. Attempting to stretch, she found that their legs were tangled together in the sheets. He couldn’t help but chuckle at her growl of frustration as he helped her disengage herself from him. Once she was free, she arched her back, stretching like a cat.

He watched her appreciatively, moving closer to pull her back into his arms. He tangled a hand into her loosely braided hair before pulling her into a heated kiss. She responded in kind, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing herself fully against him. Too soon, he pulled his lips away from hers, keeping her held tightly in his arms.

“Morning, Winchester. Sleep well?”

He grinned at her, nodding and placing a peck on her forehead.

“Hope you don’t mind that I shut off your alarm. I know you and Faye have to leave soon.”

She sighed, wishing that, if she could just pretend that she didn’t have a job, she wouldn’t have to leave. A soft knock at the door leading from her shared bathroom banished that idea. She didn’t even want to think about what time it was. No doubt Faye was coming to make sure she was up and packing.

“Come in.”

The grin that spread across Faye’s features as she pressed open the bathroom door made Kat regret opening her mouth. She knew that she and Dean were barely visible in the heap of pillows and blankets that covered her bed, but she was still a little flustered by the thought of her big sister seeing them snuggled together. For her part, after her initial reaction, Faye acted as though she wasn’t phased by her sister’s bedfellow.

“Morning, guys! Kat, we’re leaving in an hour, so get moving.”

With that, she was gone. Kat stretched again before attempting to climb out of bed. Dean held her tightly, pulling her back in for another kiss. This one was slow, his lips moving lazily across hers while his hands massaged lethargic circles into her back. With a mournful sigh, she removed herself from his embrace and climbed out of the bed. She placed one last kiss on his cheek as she made her way to her closet.

He sat in her bed, watching carefully as she pulled out a familiar bag. Climbing out of bed, he headed for her closet to assist. Finding that she kept a bag ready to go, he laughed to himself. She had what appeared to be a toiletry kit already inside as she tossed in a few articles of clothing on top. She passed him the bag as she turned to pull out a change of clothes for the day.

“We should only be gone a few days. Think you and Sammy can manage that long?”

“I think we will make it. Pretty sure you’re family is going to keep us pretty busy in the library.”

She nodded before disappearing to the bathroom to change. After donning a pair of leggings and a tank-top, she brushed her teeth and released her hair from the braid she had slept in. She tapped lightly on Faye’s side of the bathroom door before cracking it open. Faye was already dressed and packed, but to Kat’s surprise, Sam was sitting in the middle of her large bed in his boxers and a t-shirt. Kat flashed her sister a knowing smile.

“Ready when you are. Morning, Sam.”

Faye nodded, heading toward the door while he gave her a quick wave and a smile before standing and pulling on a pair of jeans that were discarded next to the bed. He grabbed Faye’s bag to follow her out into the hallway. Taking that as her queue, Kat returned to her room to find Dean dressed in his shirt and sweats from the night before. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, reaching to grab the bag he sat on her bed. He snatched the bag before she could reach it, swinging it over he shoulder with a grin, before heading to the door. Her hand on his arm stopped him in his tracks as she spoke quietly.

“Guess who I just found in Faye’s bed.”

“No way! Attaboy Sammy…”

She laughed out at his shenanigans, but shushed him as they made their way into the hallway. With Sam and Faye nowhere to be found, Dean and Kat made their way down to the first floor. Having heard them, Faye stuck her head out of the kitchen and motioned for them to join she and Sam for breakfast. 

They were already eating as Kat and Dean entered. Two plates of fried eggs and avocado were on the bar. Dean looked at it skeptically, but sat down to eat anyway. Kat fixed their coffee before sitting down to dig in. They ate in relative silence, hoping not to wake anyone. As they finished, the guys did the dishes while Kat and Faye went out to load Faye’s SUV.

Faye drove a Mercedes G55, and, even though it was an older model, it was her dream car. She opened the rear hatch and removed the false bottom to place in the case containing their shotguns, salt rounds, and other hunting accoutrements. After replacing the cover, she and Kat loaded their bags before turning back toward the house.

Sam and Dean were coming down the steps to see the girls off, go-cups of coffee in hand. Dean walked with Kat to the passenger side of the large SUV, opening the door for her. He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her into a tight embrace. She buried her face in his chest and returned the hug, binding her arms snuggly around his neck.

“Check in when ya get there, ok?”

“I promise, Winchester. We’ll be fine… you two behave while were gone. If you need anything, let Mom or Michale know… they’er crazy about y’all.”

Dean nodded while burying his nose in her hair and breathing deeply. She pulled away and climbed into the passenger seat but he stepped forward, pulling her towards the edge of the seat and positioning himself between her legs. She grinned down at him, pulling his face to hers for a sensual goodbye kiss. 

As she pulled away, she couldn’t contain her chuckle at the goofy grin on his face. As he glanced passed her, his smile widened. He nodded his head in the direction of the driver side of the vehicle.

Sam had one massive arm wrapped tightly around her big sister’s waist. Faye was standing on her toes with her hands tangled in his long hair. Their kiss was fierce, to say the least. Kat let out a sharp whistle at the couple as she and Dean sniggered. Faye regretfully pulled away from Sam, a light blush dusting her cheeks. He gave her a final peck as she climbed in her SUV and closed the door. Dean released Kat from his embrace and closed her door as well.

The girls let their windows down as Faye stared the engine. With a final goodbye and promise to check in, they made their way down the long driveway. This would be the first hunt they had been on together in a long time. Before they could even make it out of the property’s front gate, Faye beamed at her little sister.

“Ok, Kat… Spill! I want every detail.”

Kat sighed. She knew this was coming, and the quicker she spilled her guts to her big sister, the quicker she would be able to find out what had happened with Faye and Sam. As sisters usually do, Kat told her everything. Getting to the part where Faye had interrupted she and Dean at the pool house, she shot her a death glare. Faye did her part to at least pretend to be sorry about cock-blocking her little sister.

“Hey! I said I was sorry! How was I supposed to know that you and Dean-o were getting hot and heavy?”

Kat just rolled her eyes and laughed, continuing the story. There was no way she could be mad at Faye. She supposed that she should count her blessings, considering that any one of her family members could have happened upon them. Winding down her tale, she gave a wistful sigh. Remembering waking up in Dean Winchester’s arms sent a wave of warmth through her body.

“You really like him, don’t you.”

It was more of a statement than a question, and Kat had a feeling of deja vu. She nodded her head, proud of herself for not blushing.

“Yea, I do. I can’t help it… there’s just something about him that I’m drawn to. Don’t get me wrong, I have my doubts on if this could really work. You know, I had to skim through Chuck’s books as part of my research before going after him as a demon. I know about all the one night stands, about Lisa and Ben. I probably know more about him than he would like. I guess I’m just worried about getting attached.”

“So… you’re not already attached then?”

“I guess I am, at least a little. I just wish I knew what he was thinking, ya know?”

“I get it, but from what I’ve seen, he seems pretty interested. He can’t keep his hands off you.”

“Faye, you and I both know that physical attraction and something more are two very different ballgames. Hell, they aren’t even the same sport. He can want to get in my pants without actually giving a damn about me.”

“True, but is that what it feels like when y’all are together?”

“No, it’s not… but just because I feel something doesn’t mean he does too.”

“Kat, don’t be so hard on yourself about it. It is what it is. There’s obviously some sort of mutual attraction there. I say go for it and see what happens. What will you regret more… diving in head first and ending up hurt or wondering what could have been for the rest of your life?”

“Point taken. I guess I’ll just have to talk to him when we get back… you know I don’t do the whole ‘share your feelings’ thing well with anyone other than you… But on a lighter note, I want to know why you and Sammy are so snuggly all the sudden!”

Faye looked like a tomato, and Kat had to suppress a laugh. She had known the moment her sister had laid eyes on the giant that Faye was attracted to him.

“Kat, I can’t help it… he’s just so sweet!”

“I know that, Faye… but what I don't know is what happened between the two of you last night that led to me finding him in your bed this morning.”

It wasn’t possible for Faye to blush any deeper. She swallowed hard, gripping the wheel nervously. Just like Kat, she knew that she had to reveal everything. She took a deep breath and began.

Sam approached Faye after dinner, leading her away from Kat and Dean, muttering something about privacy as they made their way to the back garden, in the opposite direction from where he saw Kat and Dean disappear. Faye took charge, leading him to a set of old rope swings that were hanging from a massive oak tree near the shop. She took a seat in one while Sam stood awkwardly to the side. Faye rolled her eyes.

“You’ve got two options, Sasquatch… swing or push. What’s it gonna be?”

With a sharp laugh, Sam stepped behind her and gave her a light push. For Sam, it was nice to do something so simple after the hell he and Dean had managed to survive over the last few years. They sat in comfortable silence as she swung and he pushed. A voice calling for her burst the quiet bubble they had built for themselves.

“Kat… Faye? Where are y’all?”

“Swings, Mom.”

Moments later, Chari came into view, rounding the corner of the shop. She had a mournful smile on her face as she approached the pair. Sensing the oncoming seriousness of the conversation, Sam caught Faye’s swing to bring her to a stop.

“Sweetie, I hate to interrupt, but we have a job for you. Where’s your sister?”

“Oh… uh… I saw her and Dean head back toward the pool a while ago. Why don’t you fill me in and I’ll tell her.”

Chari eyed her eldest daughter suspiciously. Honestly, she doubted that it would be wise to seek out the missing couple at the moment anyway. Sighing in defeat, she disclosed all of the information they had on the haunting in Georgia. It would be a simple job that should only take the girls a few days. Besides, she knew how long it had been since Kat and Faye had worked together. It would do both the girls some good.

“That should be no problem. Do we need to leave now?”

“It can wait ‘till morning dear. Be sure your sister knows that you will be leaving at first light. Don’t let her drag around and put you behind schedule.”

“Yes ma’am. I’ll let her know.”

With that, Chari returned to the house. Faye sighed as she regarded Sam. He had been surprisingly quiet through out the interaction. She had no doubt that he didn’t want to be left alone with the strange family.

“Sorry about that, but duty calls. You gonna be alright here for a few days?”

“I don’t see why not. Pretty sure most of my time will be spent in the library anyway.”

Faye nodded in understanding before excusing herself to track down her little sister. They would be needing to call it a night soon if they were going to get an early start in the morning. After making Sam promise to wait for her, she made her way across the back yard. 

Rounding the back corner of the pool house, she stopped in her tracks. There were several things that were on her ‘never want to see in a million years’ list. Towards the top of that list was watching her topless sister grinding against an equally shirtless man while making out. This was something that would require bleach to scrub out of her brain.

“Whoa… way more than I needed to see, sis! Pull it together, we have a job.”

She had to hide her grin as Kat tried, and failed, to snatch away from the obviously very aroused and very frustrated man she was currently straddling. He gripped her sister’s waist tightly, refusing to release her. Faye made a show of resisting the urge to vomit as Kat placed a kiss to his jaw as she finally managed to wiggle out of his grip. Yanking her shirt over her head, the glare she sent Faye’s way was almost comical.

“Great timing, Faye… this better be fucking important.”

She rolled her eyes at her little sister’s attitude. She could admit that she would be just as pissed if the roles had been reversed. She didn’t blame Kat for wanting to kill her, so she tried to make the conversation as painless as possible. She quickly relayed the information from Chair and took her leave. She didn’t really want to give her younger sister anymore time to lash out at her.

Upon reaching Sam, she couldn’t help but smile. He had taken a seat in one of the swings and was staring up toward the clear sky. Making her way toward him, she passed the vacant swing to his left and took a seat in his lap. He looked down at her in surprise, but wrapped an arm around her waist.

“From the look on your face, I’d say our siblings were busy. Did you at least tell her about the hunt before Dean chased you away?”

Faye laughed. Sam had no idea how close he was to the truth. She laid her head against his broad shoulder and grinned as she spoke.

“Oh you have no idea… except it was Kat who was ready to kill me.”

“Not surprised. Those two are too much alike.”

“You’ve got that right. Come on. We can watch a movie before I have to call it a night… besides I don’t wanna be out here in case those two get too loud.”

Sam laughed but nodded in agreement as they both got up to make their way inside. As he turned toward the theater, she caught his hand and pulled him in the direction of the stairs. He glanced at her suspiciously, but she simply grinned innocently up at him.

“Don’t you think we deserve a little privacy? I may not have a television in my room, but I do have my laptop. I’m sure we can find something to watch.”

Sam kept quiet, and followed her lead. While catching her sister with Dean had not been one of her priorities, she couldn’t deny that it had gotten her thinking about Sam. Kat wasn’t allowed to be the only one having fun during the brothers’ stay. Once they reached her room, she passed Sam her laptop and motioned toward her king-sized bed.

“Get comfortable and find something good. I’m gonna grab a quick shower so I don’t have to wake up as early.”

“Uh, sure… anything in particular?”

“Dealer’s choice. I won’t be long.”

With that, she grabbed her sleep shorts and a tank-top and disappeared behind the bathroom door. Sam stood in the middle of the room, slightly confused. Shaking his head, he kicked off his shoes and took a seat on the overly fluffy bed with the laptop. As he heard the water turn on, he opened her web browser and began searching through her Netflix account to find something to watch.

Several minutes later, he heard the water shut off. He still hadn’t found anything for them to watch. He didn’t know what she liked, and he didn’t want to pick something she had already seen or that she thought was lame. Even though Dean had picked on them, Sam could admit that the girls did a great job on picking the movie earlier. He sighed to himself as he heard the bathroom door opening.

“So what are we watching?”

“No clue… I didn’t want to pick something you’ve already seen.”

Faye laughed out and took a seat next to him, propping herself up with a pillow. She took the laptop from him and began searching through the selection. After several moments of deliberation, they opted for ‘The Shining’. While they had both seen it more times than they could count, Sam couldn’t say no once he saw how excited she was.

As the opening credits rolled, Sam sat the laptop on his lap and leaned back against the headboard, lifting his arm and motioning for her to come closer. Instead of simply sitting next to him as she did earlier, Faye snuggled into his side, laying her head against his chest. He tightened his arm around her as they settled in.

About halfway through the film, Faye could feel her eyelids beginning to droop. Sam’s steady heartbeat was quickly lulling her to sleep. She sighed softly and lifted her head, getting his attention.

“Why don’t you just sleep here tonight?”

Sam was caught off guard by her request. Before he had a chance to respond, she was pausing the moving and taking the laptop from him. Sitting up, she slid under the covers and looked up at him expectantly. Sighing in defeat, he stood to rid himself of his jeans. There was no way they would would be able to sleep comfortably with them. As he climbed in next to her, she snuggled back against him. 

Once they were settled with the moving playing once more, Sam’s hand had drifted from her shoulder to her hair. He ran his fingers through the long chestnut strands as he watched. It had been a long time since he had let himself relax like this. They sat in silence as they finished the film. 

As the ending credits rolled, Sam moved to stop the movie and turn off the laptop. As he sat up a little to place the computer on the nightstand, a quiet grumble caught his attention. He had obviously woken her up with his movements. He couldn’t help feeling a little guilty as she stared up at him while rubbing her eyes. He rolled on his side, facing her, while motioning for her to come closer.

“Come on and go back to sleep. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

She smiled at him warmly before burrowing into his chest. He wrapped one massive arm around her and placed a soft kiss in her hair. She grinned against him and craned her neck to look at his face. Before she could second guess herself, she stretched to place a timid kiss against his lips. Waiting to gauge his reaction, she was happily surprised when he captured her lips again, this time much more demanding.

Losing herself in him, she tangled her fingers in his obscenely long hair. He quickly won their battle for dominance as he gripped her waist tighter, pulling her even closer to himself. She whimpered quietly as he pulled away from her lips to trail down her jaw and throat. Pulling him back up, she attached her mouth to his once more before pulling away slowly. There was no point in starting something that they couldn’t finish.

With a heavy sigh, she placed a final peck against his lips and curled up against his chest. He couldn’t suppress his chuckle at her. Shaking his head, he wrapped his arm around her before settling in.

“Sorry… I couldn’t help myself. Didn’t want to start something we wouldn’t have time to finish.”

“I know and I’m not complaining. Just get some sleep. You have to be up early.”

She nodded against his chest and willed herself to relax enough to sleep. Of course, between the warmth of his body and his hand gently rubbing her back, it didn’t take her long to doze off.

As Faye finished her story, Kat couldn’t stop the cheek splitting smile that broke across her face. Oh yea… she had done a fantastic job getting these two together. Not to mention that she hadn’t seen her sister this giddy about a boy in a long time, if ever. It really was impossible for her to contain herself.

“I knew it! I knew from the moment you saw him in the garage in Kansas that you wouldn’t be able to keep your hands to yourself!”

Faye rolled her eyes at her little sister. She would never admit it, but she knew that Kat was right. The first time she laid eyes on Sam, she had been smitten. 

“Whatever you say. It’s been nice actually getting to know him. You know, you and Dean might could learn a thing or two.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Oh come on! You two are like animals! You can’t keep your hands off each other. Have you two had a real conversation?”

“Don’t judge a book by its’ cover, Faye. You might be surprised to know that we’ve had several conversations.”

“About what? Music and sex? I’m talking about actually getting to know each other.”

Laughing, Kat turned up the music, signaling that the conversation was over. Maybe part of what Faye had to say was true, but she couldn’t help it. He was just so hot! She would never admit that to her sister though. There’s no way in hell she would survive the rest of this six hour drive, not to mention the next few days, if she admitted that her big sister was right. They both could be stubborn as an ox sometimes. As they settled in for the remainder of the drive, they couldn’t help but hope that the job went quickly so they could return home as soon as possible.


	11. First Date

11: First Date - Blink 182

It had been three day since Faye and Kat had left the compound, and both Sam and Dean would be reluctant to admit how ready they were for the girls’ return. Michael had helped immensely by showing them how all the information was categorized and setting up an online archive that Sam would be able to access once they returned to the bunker. Still, the research had been tedious at best. Not to mention having to interact with the family of hunters without the safety net the girls provided.

People came and went and the brothers met the rest of the family in the girls’ absence. They could see what Faye and Kat meant by this being sort of a hotel for them. No one stayed for more than a day or two, besides the grandparents and Michael and Maddie. Chari had even left with William the day after the girls to check out some suspicious demon activity in east Texas.

Sighing for what felt like the millionth time that day, Dean closed the heavy book he had been thumbing through. God, what he wouldn’t give for a beer and a hunt. He was getting a little stir crazy after being cooped up in the library for so long. The vibration of his phone on the table was a welcome distraction. He grinned to himself as he read the text.

“Hope you’re surviving, Chief. We should be back around dinner.”

“Good. Be ready to fill us in since y’all didn’t check in.”

There’s no way in hell he would admit that he had been worried about them. Of course, they were two obviously well trained hunters, but he had been a little anxious after neither he nor Sam had heard from the girls since they arrived in Georgia. Sliding his phone back into his pocket, he glanced down the table where Sam and Michael were buried in books of their own.

“What do you guys say to a study break? That was the girls and they will be back around dinner, so we will have help with the research tonight.”

Closing his book, Sam stretched and nodded his head. They had been hard at it most of the morning and they could all use a little break. 

“Sounds good to me, man. What do ya say, Michael? What can we do to blow off a little steam?”

“We could head down to the range for a while.”

Sam and Dean followed Michael out of the library and made their way to the shop. Michael unlocked the building and let the brothers in the weapons room to make their selection. After packing a case with the guns and ammo they would need, the boys hopped on three of the four-wheelers and speed off through the field, toward the range.

Once everything was unloaded, the boys took up their positions and began firing. After a while of friendly competition, they sat in the shade, glad to be out of the library for a while. Always the one to want to talk, it was Sam who broke the silence that had fallen over the group.

“So, Dean… what do you have planned for when Kat gets back?”

Dean shot him a confused look, not really catching on to his train of thought. What he wanted to do was hole up in her bedroom for a day or two and work out all the frustration he had built up. It had almost killed him not finish what they started the night she left. Dean Winchester had never been a patient man when it came to females. Not that he could admit any of that with Michael sitting next to him.

“Don’t really have anything in mind. Where are you going with this, Sammy”

“I’m just saying that while we have some time off, so to speak, you should actually try getting to know her. Y’all should do something.”

“What… like a date? I couldn’t tell you the last time thats happened.”

“Exactly, man. It’s obvious something’s there. Why not see what happens?”

With the contemplative look on Dean’s face, Sam was thankful he at least had his brother thinking about it. Dean could be a stubborn ass when it came to his feelings, but Sam knew he deserved a little bit of happiness with all the shit that had gone down in their lives. Maybe they couldn’t have the average person’s apple pie life, but this family was proof that they could make something work. Michael took the brothers silence as an opportunity to speak up.

“I think it’s a great idea. I don’t know that Kat’s ever been on a real date… kinda hard to do with how we live.”

Dean stared at Michael in surprise. He never really thought of that. He just assumed with how normal they seemed to be, for hunters at least, that she had done other normal things, like date, as well. He wasn’t so blind to his own feelings that he couldn’t admit that it would be nice to have an ordinary night to themselves.

“Ok… so what do you two have in mind? I have no idea what there is to do around here.”

Sam grinned victoriously. It wasn’t every day that Dean Winchester listened to something he said. Sadly, Sam was as in the dark as his brother when it came to an actual idea for how they could spend the evening. Michael had to suppress a laugh. Kat would owe him later.

“Well there’s not much to do here, but if you don’t mind a drive, theres a great blues joint about forty-five minutes away.”

Dean seemed to ponder this idea. He didn’t want to be stuck in some uncomfortable monkey suit in some stuffy restaurant all night. 

“Blues joint, huh… you think that’s something she’d be into?”

“Definitely. Beer on tap, greasy food, and live music. That’s heaven to her.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Dean trailed off, obviously in thought. Sure, he wanted to take her out, but what he wanted even more was to get her alone. That was going to be tricky considering that he wasn’t really feeling a quickie in the back seat of the Impala. Again, he decided not to voice his frustrations in front of her younger cousin. Though for his part, Michael wasn’t dumb. 

“And… if you want, I can help you set something up for when you get back. I know y’all could use a little… uh… privacy.”

To say Dean was shocked would be an understatement. Was this kid seriously suggesting what he thought he was? Not being one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Dean decide to go with it, receiving a disapproving look from Sam.

“And how do you plan on doing that?”

Michael gave him a sly grin and proceeded to lay out his plan for the brothers. As the only boy, he had overheard enough girl talk in his life that he knew what Kat would like. Michael was positive that once he had the basics of his idea laid out, Dean would be on board. Even Sam added little suggestions here and there. Oh yea, Kat would owe him big time.

By the time the guys were ready to go back to the house, Dean had the night mapped out in his mind. If she wasn’t blown away, there was no impressing the girl. Reaching into his pocket, Dean pulled out his phone to send her a quick text.

“Go get dressed when you get here. We’re going out.”

With only a couple of hours left until they arrived, they guys got to work setting everything up. Dean couldn’t help looking forward to their night together. He could only hope that she appreciated the effort he put into it.

At almost five thirty on the dot Maddie barreled down the stairs and out the front door. As the Mercedes pulled to a stop in front of the house she ran towards them, snatching open the passenger door as soon as they came to a stop.

“Whoa, Mini Me! Where’s the fire?”

Maddie laughed as Kat hugged her. She was always so excited when Kat returned from a hunt. They walked to the back of the SUV to unload her things as Faye approached them. She hugged Maddie and grabbed her bag before closing the hatch.

“You’ve gotta go get ready. Dean’s taking you on a date!”

Faye and Kat laughed at Maddie’s excitement. It wasn’t everyday that something as exciting as a date happened in the thirteen-year old’s life. Once she realized what the guys were up to, she had insisted on helping. And while Dean tried to hide his ulterior motives from the young girl, she gushed about how romantic Michael’s idea was.

“I know! Where are the guys anyway?”

“Getting things set up for tonight. They sent me to make sure you got ready on time.”

The older girls chuckled at her enthusiasm as they made their way inside and up to their rooms. If Kat was being honest, she would admit that she was thrilled. When she had received Dean’s text she and Faye and fallen into a squealing mess, like a couple of teenage girls. Faye had fussed over dressing her up while Kat had been worked up that Dean was taking her out.

Once they were in their rooms, Faye ushered Kat into the shower with strict instructions on what products to use. While Kat showered, Maddie and Faye picked out potential outfits for the tomboy. Of course, she would most likely end up wearing Faye’s clothes since most of her own wardrobe consisted of jeans, leggings, shorts, tank-tops, and t-shirts.

After several minutes of waiting, Kat finally emerged from the bathroom. Wasting no time, Faye sat her sister down at her vanity to start the process. She whipped out her makeup bag and pulled Kat’s long, wet hair out of her face.

“Faye, I swear to God that I will kill you if I come out of this room looking like a painted whore!”

Faye laughed at her threat, but knew that she wouldn’t be able to over do it with the make up. That wasn’t Kat’s style anyway. Agreeing to keep it to a minimum, she set to work. 

She applied only a thin layer of foundation and powder, then once she was pleased with her face, she applied a thin black liner that ended in a sharp flick. After applying a coat of mascara to her lashes, she filled in her brows. Finally, a sheer pink gloss coated her lips.

After Kat had approved of the makeup, Faye set to work on her hair. She blowdried the long strands and set them in loose curls. Maddie was in shock. She couldn’t remember ever seeing Kat with anything that could be considered styled hair and makeup. Grabbing her phone, she snapped a couple of photos, stating that this would probably never happen again.

With the most painful part of the process complete, they started the tedious task of dressing the rather finicky female. Faye knew better than to suggest a dress, but she was hell bent on Kat looking good. The girl had a killer figure that she never showed off.

“Seriously, Kat. Suck it up. If he’s going to all this trouble, he at least deserves something good to look at all night!”

Kat sighed in defeat and began trying on different ensembles that had been laid out for her. After several no’s, and even more rolled eyes and snarky comments, all three of the girls had to admit they had found a winner. Thankfully, Maddie knew enough about the plan to suggest what would be appropriate.

Kat was wearing an old Metallica tee with the sleeves cut out low, her crimson bralette peaking through the sides. Her denim shorts were high-waisted and heavily frayed. While Faye had obviously lost the battle of getting her to dress a little more girly, she put her foot down when it came to her shoes. Instead of her standard combat boots or Converse, Faye had managed to get her to compromise. The black ankle boots laced up the front and were studded down the back, but the compromise came with the platform toe and chunky heel. While Kat had been a little awkward in them at first, she had quickly gotten used to them. 

Faye checked her phone for the time. With only a few minutes to spare, Faye doused her in perfume and hung a long, thin chain with a skeleton key attached around her neck. As Kat flipped Faye the bird, and donned her standard maroon and black flannel, there was a knock on the door.

Faye grinned to herself, admiring her handiwork, as Maddie opened the door for Dean. He stood in the doorway in shock as he got his first look at her. He couldn’t have been more pleased that she hadn’t allowed Faye to turn her into some girly-girl for the night. Kat however, couldn’t appreciate his stare due to her own lack of brain function. He had forgone his standard t-shirt in favor of a plain black button-up, with the sleeves rolled to his elbow, and jeans. Damn did he clean up good. He cleared his throat, successfully getting her attention.

“We’ve got a bit of a drive, so I’m ready when you are.”

She smiled up at him and nodded as Faye passed her the small, red cross-body bag she was loaning Kat for the night. After hugging her sister and cousin goodbye, she followed Dean out into the hall and down the stairs. Once they made it to the Impala, he stopped to open her door. Before she could climb in, he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her in to his chest.

“You look amazing.”

“I’m not winning any pageants tonight, but thank you. Sorry I’m not the dressy type.”

He just laughed and placed a light kiss on her lips. He’d be damned if he opened his mouth right now and ruined the night. There was no way he could tell her just how good he thought she looked without fucking it up, so he settled for stealing a kiss as she climbed in his car. With a quick smack to her ass in her impossibly short shorts, he let her take her seat and closed the door. Before she could get her bearings, he was in the car with the engine running, ready to head out.

“So, you plan on telling me where we’re heading?”

“Not a chance. Hope you like surprises.”

“That totally depends on what the surprise is, Chief.”

He laughed again as she turned up the radio. That was obviously all she was going to get out of him on the subject, so she may as well sit back and enjoy the ride. She sang quietly with the radio as he drove.

By eight they were pulling into the parking lot of a hole in the wall bar and her face brightened immediately. He knew he had struck gold, and he would have to remember to thank Michael for the tip. They climbed out of the car and made their way inside.

They were seated quickly in a booth close to where the musician was set up. He was a frail old man who appeared to be in his sixties or seventies. The smooth strum of his guitar mixed well with his raspy vocals in the smoky atmosphere of the bar.

“This place is amazing! How did you even know how to find it?”

“I had a little help from Michael. He said you’d love it here.”

“Well he was right. Thank you.”

Dean smiled to himself as they ordered their drinks and looked over the menu. Oh yea, this place was obviously a winner. Moments later, their waitress returned with their drinks and took their orders. She ordered the pulled pork while he opted for a bacon cheese burger. She laughed at his meal choice, and deciding to take a little of Faye’s advice, broke the silence that had fallen over them.

“How about a game of twenty questions while we wait?”

“Alright. Ladies first.”

“Fine, I’ll keep it simple. What’s your favorite beer?”

“Easy, El Sol. Yours?”

“Dead Guy.”

“Fair enough. Favorite band?”

“That’s a tough one. Either Led Zeppelin or Metallica.”  
“Nice. I can respect a chick with good taste in music. Definitely Led Zeppelin for me.”

“Favorite city?”

“Tampa. It’s the titty-bar capital of the world.”

“Of course! Mine’s New Orleans. I just love the atmosphere.”

“I’m not surprised. Favorite song?”

“House of the Rising Sun. The Animals version.”

“Nice. Ramble On or Traveling Riverside Blues.”

“Good to know. Let’s see, biggest fear?”

“Flying.”

“Spiders.”

“No way! You hunt monsters but your afraid of a bug?”

“They have too many legs and they’re gross.”

“Whatever. Favorite food?”

“Basically anything that swims. I love fish.”

“Kinda weird, but ok. Bacon cheese burgers.”

“I figured that. Favorite desert?”

“Pie! Any kind of pie.”

“I can respect that. Ice cream for me. Any flavor before you even ask.”

He laughed at that. They paused their conversation as their food was brought out. He’d be lying if he said that wasn’t the best-looking bacon cheese burger he’d ever seen, and by the look on her face, she was pleased with her meal as well. They ate in silence for a moment before he continued their game. 

Several rounds later, they had finished their meal and were waiting on Dean’s apple pie. As the waitress placed the plate in front of him, Kat laughed out. He looked like a kid in a candy store. After his first few bites he looked up at her with a lopsided grin.

“This is amazing! Wanna bite?”

“Dean Winchester is offering to share his pie? Holy shit! Someone alert the media.”

He flashed her an unamused look but extended his fork anyway. She grinned at him, leaning forward and taking the offered bite. He was right.

“Good huh?”

She nodded enthusiastically. Good was an understatement. Instead of pushing her luck by requesting another bite, she watched as he finished his desert. Once he paid their bill, they made their way back to the car. She had truly enjoyed herself tonight.

“Thanks again for tonight, Dean. It was totally worth what Faye put me through getting ready.”

She leaned across the seat and placed a sweet kiss on his cheek. He smiled back at her. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this comfortable with someone and knowing that she enjoyed herself made it that much better. He reached for her arm and pulled her closer to his side and he started the car.

“Good. There’s one more surprise once we get back.”

“Well if it’s half as good as dinner, then I’ll be a happy camper.”

He grinned to himself, hoping that she would be correct. He, Sam, and Michael had put a lot of effort into the last part of the evening and he was looking forward to getting her home. He sped down the highway with her tucked against him.


	12. Burnin' For You

12: Burnin’ For You - Blue Oyster Cult

After parking the Impala, they climbed out and he lead her around the back of the house toward the shop. He punched in the code Michael had given him and guided her toward one of the four-wheelers. She eyed him suspiciously as he climbed on and extended his hand.

“Where are we going?”

“Don’t worry. It’s all part of the surprise. Trust me on this one.”

Reluctantly, she took his outstretched hand and climbed on. As soon as she was settled, they were flying through the field. As he navigated by the low light of the ATV, she pressed herself firmly against his back, her arms wrapped securely around his waist.

Soon, they approached their destination. In the low moonlight, she realized they were almost to the pond and her confusion grew. As they drew closer, she was shocked. Next to the pond was a small tent. He parked close by and helped her down.

“What’s all this?”

“I figured we could use a little privacy. Besides, it’s nice out and I haven’t been camping in a while.”

Without waiting for a response, he started a fire in the pit that Michael had brought out earlier that afternoon. She took a seat on the blanket next to the building fire as she waited for him. Moments later, he sat next to her, offering her a beer and pulling her closer to him.

They sat in comfortable silence as they drank. He deftly ran his fingers through the loose waves of her hair as she relaxed against him. He had to hand it to Michael, this was the perfect way to end the night.

“You know, I don’t know whose idea this was, and I really don’t care. This is awesome. Thanks again. This is like a mini vacation after this last hunt.”

“No talking about work tonight. Just relax and enjoy yourself.”

She smiled up at him gratefully as she turned in his grasp. She knew exactly how she planned on enjoying herself. She hadn’t really been able to keep her mind out of the gutter since the night before she and Faye left. And now, here they were, away from distractions and possible interruptions. 

She finished off her beer and set it to the side before turning back to him. Inching her way forward, she closed the distance between them. Her lips barely brushed against his before kissing him slowly. He was quick to respond, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her flush against him before leaning back onto the blanket that had been stretched out next to the fire.

Grinning against his lips, she let him take control. As she settled in across his chest, he gripped her tighter and switched their position. He towered over her triumphantly for a moment before diving back down to recapture her lips. The fire burning in the pit of her stomach spread with every move he made.

Her hands gripped his biceps as she pulled him closer. One leg hiked up around his hips to hold him in place. Her whimper of frustration morphed into a soft moan as he moved away from her lips to trail kisses across her jaw. His stubble was a rough contrast to his supple lips as he made his way to the soft skin of her throat.

She was becoming disoriented as he devoured her. Desperate for more contact, she gripped his head and pulled his lips back to hers. He growled his approval against her as his hands began to explore.

He trailed his palms down her arms to her waist as he kissed her. He untucked the hem of her t-shirt to seek out her warm flesh. She arched into him as he found a particularly sensitive spot on her side.

He pulled away from her, staring down at her with lust blow pupils. He couldn’t help but note how beautiful she looked spread out beneath him with her lips swollen from his kiss and the beginnings of a light case of beard burn on her throat. She stared back at him with an intensity he almost couldn’t stand. He leaned forward to place a light kiss on her lips before speaking.

“What do you say we take this party inside?”

She nodded and sat up. He stood first and helped her stand before they made their way inside the tent. She had to admit they went all out. Instead of a standard sleeping bag, they guys had constructed a comfortable looking nest of pillows and blankets inside the small tent.

She quickly unlaced her heels and situated herself in the pile. He grinned at her as he made his way over to her, kneeling between her thighs. Without a word, she reached up to him, pulling him into another fiery kiss. Her tongue rolled over his bottom lip before pulling it between her own and dragging her teeth gently over the sensitive flesh before releasing him. He groaned into her mouth, tangling his hands in her hair.

That groan set something off within her that she couldn’t name in the moment, but the fire building inside was spinning out of control. Gone were the smooth movements of their first few kisses. Now, she gently tugged the short hairs on his head as she tried to pull him closer. His hands went back to the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head.

As she made quick work of the buttons of his shirt, he was struggling with the button and zipper on her shorts. Once she ripped his shirt from his shoulders, she leaned back to assist him with her shorts. Before he had them tugged completely down her legs, she was reaching for his belt. After finishing with the buckle, she tugged open the button and pulled down the zipper.

He stood quickly and pulled his jeans down his muscular legs before stepping out of them. She tugged him back into the blankets and straddled his waist as she kissed him fiercely. He gripped her hips, pulling her down onto his lap as he returned her kiss. Instinctually, she ground down against his cloth covered erection and moaned into the kiss.

Moving away from his lips, she lightly nipped his jaw and kissed down his throat. His fingers tangled in her long hair as she moved over him. She placed a kiss over the anti-possession tattoo on his chest before moving lower. He hissed sharply and tightened his grip on her as her teeth grazed over his nipple.

Grinning into his skin, she continued her descent. When she reached the waist band of his boxers, she smirked up at him through her lashes before hooking her fingers in them and tugging them down his thighs. She peered up at him triumphantly as she took in the sight of him. She was impressed with her prize.

She gripped the base of his cock firmly while staring into his eyes and taking her first languid lick across his swollen head, lapping up his pre-come. She was pleased with herself as she watched his eyes roll back with a shudder. She gave him another long lick, from base to tip, before taking in all that she could manager.

Hollowing her cheeks, she gave him one long suck before bobbing her head over his length and swirling her tongue around his tip. The hands in her hair were like a vise, but she didn’t mind. Seeing him so lost in his own pleasure was enough to make up for the mild discomfort. She continued her ministrations on his cock while she watched him closely, taking to memory exactly what he liked.

As she gingerly drug her teeth over him, he thrust up sharply into her waiting mouth with a heavy groan. His piercing green eyes snapped open to watch as she took him in again. Before she could repeat the motion, he was pulling her away from his cock and back up to his mouth. He ground his erection over her lace clad center before swiftly switching their position.

He knelt over her, grinning as he admired her. He gripped the crimson bralette that clung to her supple breast and pulled it over her head before returning to her lips. He kissed down her chin and throat before taking a pert nipple into his mouth while massaging its neglected twin. Her soft moans were like a siren song. He had to hear more.

He kissed his way down her stomach, catching the lace of her matching crimson boy-shorts between his teeth before tugging them down. Returning to his position over her, he watched her face carefully as he massaged her clit. She tossed her head back, arching up and grinding her hips into his hand. Moving himself lower, he got into position between her thighs. 

He gave her one long, slow lick, much she had done to him earlier. Again, he was rewarded with a sharp moan and a roll of her hips. Using his left hand to keep her hips in place, he gently thrust one finger into her with his right while attaching his lips to her clit. She cried out his name as he thrust into her as he sucked.

It wasn’t long before she was bucking against him, one hand gripping the back of his head while the other tangled in the blankets beneath her. She was close and he was determined to push her over the edge before taking her. 

On his next thrust, he eased a second digit into her and lapped his tongue over her clit. He doubled his efforts as he worked her over, curling his fingers inside her as he pulled out and simultaneously sucked her clit. It wasn’t long before her thighs were trembling on either side of his face.

He grinned victoriously as she fell apart beneath him. Her right hand gripped his head tighter as her left squeezed her breast. He gave her another long suck as she whimpered helplessly beneath him. Suddenly she shattered.

The coil tightening inside her had become too much. She couldn’t control the shaking of her legs or the whimpers spilling from her throat. All she knew was that she couldn’t fight the fire that was consuming her. The broken version of his name that fell from her lips was the last coherent thought before she fell off the cliff.

He stroked her lightly, making his way back up her body, as she recovered from her orgasm. He kissed her softly as she came down. She moaned quietly into the kiss, tasting herself on his lips. As she stared up at him, trying to focus, she felt him lining himself up at her entrance. She smiled sweetly up at him before kissing him once more.

He slid into her painstakingly slowly, allowing her to feel every inch of him as he filled her. She mewled into the kiss as she arched into him. He stilled his hips for a moment, taking in all that she had to offer. This was most definitely worth the wait. Pulling away from her lips, he stared down at her as he pulled out, only to snap his hips forward once more.

He was rewarded with another sharp cry from the woman beneath him. He pulled her legs around his waist as he thrust into her. The fingers of her right hand gripped his bicep and her left dug into his thigh. He picked up his pace and gripped her hips tighter as she met him thrust for thrust.

He leaned down to kiss her. The hand that had been gripping his bicep making its way to the back of his head to hold him in place. Their eyes met and he couldn’t help but be consumed with the fire there. Sensing he was reaching his end much quicker than he would have liked, he pulled out of her.

Gripping her tightly to his chest, he switched their position so that she was straddling his hips once more. Taking the hint, she reached between them to guide him back inside her. He pulled her forward into another burning kiss as she roller her hips over his. With every movement, she could sense that she was once again approaching the abyss.

He gripped her ass tightly as she ground into him. Knowing he wasn’t going to last, he slipped a hand between them, working her clit quickly with his thumb. Her head snapped backwards as her eyes closed. The movements of her hips were becoming erratic as she reached her end. Watching her fall apart was something her could certainly get used to.

As she rode out her orgasm, the clenching of her inner muscles, coupled with the friction created by her rolling hips, proved too much for him as he followed her over the edge. He gripped her hips, holding her in place over him as he emptied himself in her. She collapsed over his chest with a soft moan as his hips came to a stop.

Grasping her chin gently, he pulled her lips to his in a bone searing kiss before allowing her to settle across his chest. He gently pulled out of her and smoothed a hand down her back. They laid there for a moment as they came back to themselves.

While he hated to move her, he knew that they would both wake up with cricks in their necks if they didn’t find a more comfortable position for sleep. Gently nudging her shoulder, he got her to sit up long enough to adjust the pillows around them before lying down and pulling her back into his chest and covering them with one of the blankets.

“Thanks again for tonight, Dean. That was incredible.”

“Agreed. And don't think I’m done with you yet. Get some rest and we will get round two in before we have to head back in the morning.”

“Count on it. That was definitely worth the wait.”

“That it was.”

She snuggled into him and placed a light kiss onto his chest before settling in for sleep. He smiled softly to himself as he buried his nose into her hair and kissing her forehead. He could get used to this, not that he would admit it to anyone else. It just felt so normal to have her there, naked as the day they were born, nestled in his arms. With one last kiss, he closed his eyes, determined to get some sleep before the sun came up and he had to make good on his promise of round two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first story I’ve written, and I must say I had a blast. What started out as a quickie for a friend has taken on a life of its own. The response I have received from this has been more that I could have ever imagined! I am more grateful than I can express that you have hung in with me over the year that it has taken me to finish. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! Please feel free to comment or message me, as I’d love to hear your thoughts!  
> Also, the sequel is currently in the works… well a couple of sequels actually. I have so many ideas that it has been difficult to keep them all in one place.


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